The day began with a solemn pledges at the end of Fajr prayers at some of the mosques that the protest and show of anger against the perpetrators of disrespect toward Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would continue throughout the country till such time the publishers and the respective governments adamant on the shameful acts of their newspapers apologise.
In support of the protest call all major shopping centres were remained closed. All commercial activities came to standstill and industrial activities in the Site, Landhi-Korangi, and New Karachi industrial areas and elsewhere slowed down and major business houses stayed partly closed as attendance of the staff remained thin.
However, some business activities in markets of perishable goods could be seen in the morning, which slowly closed down in the afternoon but reopened in the evening.
Public transport did not ply mainly on M. A. Jinnah Road and I. I. Chundrigar Road and some of the roads that connected these roads with other roads as the main protest meeting was held near Tibet centre. In the inner Old City and areas such as Baldia Town, Shershah, Lyari, Mauripur, Gandhi Garden, Nazimabad and New Karachi mini-buses were seen doing businesses.
Reports from district Malir showed that partial strike was observed and except main markets, the rest remained opened.
The effect of the rally could be seen on other roads where traffic remained thin and at places almost negligible and those people who had come to attend their offices faced transport problems.
The Sindh Government had announced holidays for all educational institutions in Karachi.
Petrol pumps had suspended their activities and covered their pumps with tents and had erected barricades to ward off acts of hooliganism.
The city administration had posted law enforcement personnel at all the sensitive points and ensured continued patrolling of the Rangers, police and paramilitary forces to maintain law and order situation.
Special measures were taken to protect mosques, Imambargahs, newspapers and private television offices, electricity installations, water pumps and hospitals.
AFP ADDS: At least 35,000 demonstrators joined the rally, officials said, but it passed off peacefully in contrast to violent protests in Lahore and Peshawar earlier this week.
"The report I have is around 35,000, but it could be more. It's a good sign that the protesters were peaceful and also condemned the violence in other parts of the country," Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui told AFP.
Organisers repeatedly urged the crowd via a public address system not to use violence or burn effigies of Western leaders, saying it was against Islam.
"Burning properties, attacking buses, killing people is against the teaching of Islam and the Prophet," Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman told the crowd.
City police chief Niaz Siddiqui said some 5,000 police and paramilitary troops were on the streets.