Karachi devoid of civic, trade activities

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: All civic and business life remained suspended on Friday amid fears of violence in the wake of a three-day mourning call by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The mourning period was announced on Thursday after the killing of an MQM MPA, Manzar Imam, and his guards.

People preferred to remain indoors, the city remained tense and roads looked deserted.

Public transport remained off most of the city roads, resulting in thin attendance in most public and private sector offices.

Most government offices, including the ones situated in the Civic Center and Sindh Secretariat remained closed.

Commuters were mostly seen traveling either using private transport or by foot in a bid to reach their destinations throughout the day.

All petrol pumps and CNG stations, which were closed down in the evening on Thursday, remained sealed on Friday, irking the motorcyclists and motorists who ran out of fuel.

The intercity city transport also remained off the road.

With the closure of all shops and retail outlets, the citizens also faced a shortage of kitchen items.

Patients in different city hospitals were also deprived of medicines and treatment on the back of absence of doctors and nurses.   

Hundreds of train passengers remained stuck up at different railway stations because of the absence of public transport.

Woes of train passengers multiplied after they were informed that most trains were late.

All public and private school and colleges remained closed. The managements of private schools refused to open educational institutions till the restoration of peace.

Universities, which remained open despite absence of staff and students, had already announced to postpone all scheduled examinations that were to be held on Friday.

However by evening on Friday, petrol pumps and CNG stations started providing fuel, while some shops also started opening after remaining closed for more than 25 hours.

Office-bearers of Sindh Tajir Ittehad announced opening of shops and markets in the city after the funeral prayers of the MQM’s lawmaker and guards.