Wholesalers and retailers observed shutter-down strike across Pakistan on Saturday in solidarity with oppressed people of Palestine, particularly in Gaza.
They closed shops and malls on the strike call given by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and others in protest against Israeli aggression in Gaza.
Israel has martyred over 50,000 innocent people including children in Gaza since start of its latest aggression in October 2023.
Factories, however, continued to remain partially functional, while public transport was thin on roads in major cities including Karachi and Lahore.
Talking to Business Recorder, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) acting president Saquib Fayyaz Magoon seconded that major wholesale markets in Karachi remained completely closed including Jodia Bazaar, Bolton Market, Denso Hall, and major and minor markets in old city area including Jama Cloth, Sarafa Bazazr and various markets in Saddar area.
Major shopping malls and small grocery shops in residential areas including Hyderi, Tariq Road, Landhi, Korangi and Malir remained shut-downed till filing of this report.
Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Jawed Bilwani said the entire business community participated in the shutter-down strike, including factory owners and workers. “However, export-oriented factories continued to remain operational partially,” he added.
Similar was the situation in Lahore where major wholesale markets and small grocery stores in residential areas remained completely closed in solidarity withPalestinians, it was learnt.
The closed markets in the major city were including Badami Bagh Market, Akbari Mandi of grains like rice, pulses and ghee, markets in Mall Road and Bedian road, Anarkali Bazaar, Azam Cloth market, markets in Circular Road, and Shah Alam Road.
Markets in Gujranwala, Gujrat and Multan also remained closed in protest against Israeli aggression.
A resident of Islamabad, however, said most of shops including big and small, remained opened in the capital city and a very few markets observed shutter-down there.
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