February 6, 2010
By Irfan Aligi
KARACHI: The city witnessed a gloomy Friday in response to series of Chellum day bomb blasts at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical centre preceded by bomb blast at Nursery on Shahra-e Faysal on Friday that claimed 39 lives and left 169 injured and in response to three-day mourning call by political parties in city, the city remained almost shut while citizens faced difficulties regarding carrying out routine works.
The impact of call for the strike-cum-mourning for consecutive three days could be easily judged with the situation that was manifested on Friday.
All major markets were closed especially in main city areas including North Nazimabad, Gulshan-e Iqbal, North Karachi, Gulistan-e Jauhar, PIB Colony, Liaquatabad, New M A Jinnah Road, Boulton Market, Saddar except a tiny portion in vicinity of Empress market was opened while food streets in city and bread bakers’ outlets, restaurants were also shut. However, a small area of Burns Road Food Street was opened.
The public transport was absent while petrol pumps were also shut in majority except a few on certain safe locations in the city. Schools and colleges and universities were also off the routine schedule of attendance and studies. Attendance in public offices was also below the normal category.
Above all these scenes, certain food charity centres were also closed due to which around 30,000 street children could not avail free food from certain centres in the city including one located near Hyderi Market, Jama Cloth Market, Saddar and Water Pump areas.
The petrol and CNG filling stations also remained shut, which caused difficulties for the private vehicle owners and bikers who wanted to go to offices.
The public transport had remained parked at different parking terminals in the city, which was another major paralyzing element. City District Government Karachi’s CNG Bus service was also suspended.
Certain low lying areas especially the rural outskirts and spatial settlements in the city were less affected by the closure of public transport and markets because of availability of essential commodities from small shops within the localities.
However, the majority of daily wagers that live in these spatial settlements and low lying areas such as Pathan Colony, Qasba Morr, Machchar Colony, Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Tin Hatti, Gujjar nullah, Paposh Nagar, Shahnawaz Bhutto Colony, Akhtar Colony, Keamari and others were greatly affected as the labourers could not go out for work so they could not earn for feeding their families. Not only these but also daily wagers of shops in city’s markets were also deprived of necessary resources for livelihood.
The closure of markets, public transport, petrol and CNG filling stations have inflicted the national exchequer with colossal loss of revenue.
According to Petrol dealers Association president Abdul Sami Khan, the petrol and CNG sale on Thursday was only 30 percent due to Kashmir Day holiday and Chellum while on Friday, the sale of petrol, diesel and CNG remained only 20 percent. It is not sure how much was the loss to the national exchequer but the loss could be around Rs 12 billion as regards to POL items only, he said.
In general, citizens were completely paralyzed by the closure of public transport, petrol and CNG stations, milk and vegetable shops and take away stalls, medical stores, puncture shops, commercial oven and restaurants.
The situation also affected citizens of other cities, as they could not travel as per their schedule due to the fact that intercity and interprovince bus services were also halted.
By Irfan Aligi
KARACHI: The city witnessed a gloomy Friday in response to series of Chellum day bomb blasts at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical centre preceded by bomb blast at Nursery on Shahra-e Faysal on Friday that claimed 39 lives and left 169 injured and in response to three-day mourning call by political parties in city, the city remained almost shut while citizens faced difficulties regarding carrying out routine works.
The impact of call for the strike-cum-mourning for consecutive three days could be easily judged with the situation that was manifested on Friday.
All major markets were closed especially in main city areas including North Nazimabad, Gulshan-e Iqbal, North Karachi, Gulistan-e Jauhar, PIB Colony, Liaquatabad, New M A Jinnah Road, Boulton Market, Saddar except a tiny portion in vicinity of Empress market was opened while food streets in city and bread bakers’ outlets, restaurants were also shut. However, a small area of Burns Road Food Street was opened.
The public transport was absent while petrol pumps were also shut in majority except a few on certain safe locations in the city. Schools and colleges and universities were also off the routine schedule of attendance and studies. Attendance in public offices was also below the normal category.
Above all these scenes, certain food charity centres were also closed due to which around 30,000 street children could not avail free food from certain centres in the city including one located near Hyderi Market, Jama Cloth Market, Saddar and Water Pump areas.
The petrol and CNG filling stations also remained shut, which caused difficulties for the private vehicle owners and bikers who wanted to go to offices.
The public transport had remained parked at different parking terminals in the city, which was another major paralyzing element. City District Government Karachi’s CNG Bus service was also suspended.
Certain low lying areas especially the rural outskirts and spatial settlements in the city were less affected by the closure of public transport and markets because of availability of essential commodities from small shops within the localities.
However, the majority of daily wagers that live in these spatial settlements and low lying areas such as Pathan Colony, Qasba Morr, Machchar Colony, Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Tin Hatti, Gujjar nullah, Paposh Nagar, Shahnawaz Bhutto Colony, Akhtar Colony, Keamari and others were greatly affected as the labourers could not go out for work so they could not earn for feeding their families. Not only these but also daily wagers of shops in city’s markets were also deprived of necessary resources for livelihood.
The closure of markets, public transport, petrol and CNG filling stations have inflicted the national exchequer with colossal loss of revenue.
According to Petrol dealers Association president Abdul Sami Khan, the petrol and CNG sale on Thursday was only 30 percent due to Kashmir Day holiday and Chellum while on Friday, the sale of petrol, diesel and CNG remained only 20 percent. It is not sure how much was the loss to the national exchequer but the loss could be around Rs 12 billion as regards to POL items only, he said.
In general, citizens were completely paralyzed by the closure of public transport, petrol and CNG stations, milk and vegetable shops and take away stalls, medical stores, puncture shops, commercial oven and restaurants.
The situation also affected citizens of other cities, as they could not travel as per their schedule due to the fact that intercity and interprovince bus services were also halted.
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