Traders, transporters and private schools associations had volunteered to stay shut on the 'day of mourning' across the city. All markets in the Old City area and those located on M A Jinnah Road, Tariq Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Saddar, New Karachi, Landhi, Korangi, Orangi and other key areas of the city also remained closed.
Petrol pumps and restaurants were completely closed in most parts of the metropolis. The `day of mourning', however, caused a huge financial loss to the country's economy and deprived millions of daily wage earners of their livelihood, traders said, adding that the country was unable to sustain continuing economic depression from strikes and sit-ins.
"It [strike] has a negative impact on the poor daily wage earners and the national economy as well," remarked Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association's Chairman Anis Majeed. He said the city's only grain market - Jodia Bazaar - remained shut during the strike, suspending all kind of supplies to different parts of the metropolis, besides the incoming goods transport could not reach to the markets.
"Daily wage earners working at Jodia Bazaar are in thousands as each shop has to procure services of at least four labourers. The pushcart movers, donkey cart and small trucks drivers also suffer financially in strikes," he pointed out. Talking to Business Recorder, All Pakistan Organisation of Small Traders and Cottage Industry's Karachi chapter President Mehmood Hamid said that there was a complete strike in the city but it caused huge financial losses to the national economy.
"The country's economy is already in a poor state and strikes and sit-ins will further push it towards devastation," he said, adding that the Sindh government failed to provide security to traders and students during the `day of mourning'. "The Sindh government just claims but do nothing to help the city remain normal with transportation on roads and businesses open," he criticised, saying it reflected the government's poor governance in the province. "The government and opposition should resolve their issues politically as the country could not afford violence and agitation," he added.