Continued violence in city inflicting huge loss on small traders: traders fear anarchy, bloodshed in city

Frustration grows among the small traders in wake of unabated violence in the city, which they are apprehending further spreading into permanent chaos and bloodshed across the metropolis. Traders said that the forced closures of markets in the wake of regular violence inflicted at least Rs 3 billion losses daily, which was further crippling their already weakening financial position with each passing day.
"The continued strikes and violence are inflicting billion of rupees losses on traders," said President Old City Traders Alliance, Jamil Paracha. The aerial firing by unknown armed men forced traders to shut their shops in old city areas on Saturday. About 100 small markets in the area and more in nearby localities were compelled to closure, traders said.
According to Chairman All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI), Muhammad Atiq Mir the total losses, which the traders had suffered during this week for closures of markets, ranged between Rs 6 to Rs 7 billion. He said only 10 per cent of business activities could take place in markets on Saturday, as a fresh wave of violence hit the old city areas and gripped market in the rest of city.
Markets in Kharadar, Metadhar, Marriott Road, Juna market, Jodia bazaar, Paper market, Jewellery market, Burns Road and Arambagh, timber market and other small business centres of the area either were shut down or remained in grip of violence's fear, he said. "Aerial firing and forced closures of business centres particularly in old city areas have become a daily routine of activists of different parties," he said, adding that about 60 percent of the total trade in the metropolis took place there.
"This is the centre of business activities, as wholesalers, retailers, importers, exporters and small traders have their setups in the old city areas," Atiq Mir said, adding that closure of these markets affect all other markets of the city. He said about 0.3 million people directly or indirectly attached with the businesses in old city markets and their livelihood was also at risk with persistent law and order situation there. "During the last three days, these people have earned nothing to support their families amid soaring inflation," he said.
However, trade and business situation was seen rather encouraging in markets of Clifton, DHA, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and Tariq Road and in a few markets in the adjacent localities, he said. "Trade and business's future is bleak in Karachi, as the situation continues to worsen, which might lead to a complete anarchy and bloodshed," he apprehended.
The city has been divided on ethnic and sectarian bases, Chairman AKTI said and warned the government of outbreak of street fights on a large scale if corrective measures were not taken immediately. "The Sunday closure of markets will be the fourth consecutive day in the old city area this week," said Jamil Paracha, adding that small traders are almost on the verge of financial collapse because of stagnation in business and trade activities.
"Is the government closes markets forcefully anywhere in the world to make strikes successful," he questioned, saying that such trend by the government would prove detrimental for businesses in the city. He said traders from Punjab and parts of Sindh used to come to Karachi for purchasing goods at old city markets had now turned towards Lahore because of the worst law and order situation.
Paracha slammed Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) for supporting the government's strike, saying that the chamber's decision had inflicted billion rupees of losses on small traders. "KCCI has become a subsidiary office of the government and working against the traders' interests," he alleged, saying that KCCI policies are compelling the small traders to set up their own chamber to solve their problems. He said he had called a meeting on Sunday to chalk out a future line of action against the persistent forced closures of markets.