Though no political party ostensibly gave the strike call but the mega city of 20 million population went shut within two hours. Industrialists said numerous industrialists had received death threats in case their units found operating. "Some industrialists were threatened with grenade attacks while others received death threats on Parchees.
They said they were not in favour of closure, as they badly affected the country's production and exports, which were already on the decline. Complete shutdown of industrial units in the city causes a loss of Rs 14 billion a day. The biggest sufferers were the daily wage workers who lost their days earning. Industrial activity in Karachi remained at a standstill on Saturday as traffic remained off the roads as fear and panic that had set in on Friday evening lasted Saturday.
A city where 80 percent of exports of various products are made and about 70 percent of the country total revenue generates should not be left at the mercy of political groups. The public transport such as goods carriers stayed off from the roads because of fear of incidents of arson and torching of public and private vehicles. Sindh government is doing nothing to ensure peaceful businesses environment for a better economy. The industrial zone had to suffer a loss of Rs 14 billion on account of closure.
The situation should be handled with responsibility and strike to paralyse the whole city by threatening and damaging public property should be accounted as a crime and the political parties or anyone who called for strike take responsibility of it. Chairman, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), Mohammad Zubair Chhaya has said that all industrial units remained closed on Saturday.
He said exports also suffered huge losses because there were no goods carriers and shipments could not be made. He said production suffered for 11 days due to goods transporters strike and due to fear of violence. Vice Chairman, Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry, Aqeel Muhammad Zawar said almost 100 percent industrial units remained closed on Saturday, adding the production in the Site Industrial Area was badly suffered as workers failed to report on duty.