With the already planned arrival of former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Benazir Bhutto on Thursday in the city, trade and commercial activities in the city came to a complete standstill due to fears of insecurity that made the traders keep their shops closed.
Traders of Lyari Town complained that they were forced to close their shops in Chakiwara and some other areas from where processions and rallies were taken out to welcome Benazir Bhutto at Karachi airport. "Trade and commercial activities were not allowed by the Benazir's supporters, causing them huge financial losses," said a trader.
All major markets of the city, including Saddar, Burns Road, Regal Chowk, Kharadar, Mithadar, Jamia Cloth Market, Lighthouse, Empress Market, Arambagh, Pakistan Chowk, markets on Shahrah-e-Faisal, Jodia Bazaar, Guru Mandir, Gul Bahar, Nazimabad, North Nazimambad, Haidery and other shopping centres were witnessed completely closed. Traders held the insecurity as a prime reason behind keeping their shops closed, as there was no protection and security shield by the government for the markets.
Besides, trade and shopping centres, almost all petrol pumps located on M. A. Jinnah Road and Sharea Faisal and some other parts of the city, including Saddar, remained closed for security reasons.
Karachi Wholesaler Grocers Association Chairman Anis Majid told Business Recorder that grain markets were also closed due to unavailability of transport, manpower and customers. "It's a compulsion for traders not to open their shops in all major markets because there is no public and private transport to carry the commodities from there to all parts of the city," he said.
He, however, hoped that the trade and commercial activities would resume on Friday. Since Thursday morning, the city roads were crowded with rallies being taken out from every part of the city. Slogan-chanting workers on bikes, trucks, public and private transport were seen heading towards Karachi airport to welcome Benazir Bhutto.
All along the route of the procession, Sharea Faisal, the party workers, holding banners and party flags, kept on waiting to have glimpse of their leader. However, there was no report of any violent incident or mishap and the rallies remained quite peaceful, while security arrangements were fair.