A notable decline was reported in the business activities of the financial hub following a terror alert issued by the security agencies, it is reliably learnt.
A clear decline in visitors in the markets was witnessed on Friday, a day after the security agencies, keeping in view threats of terror attacks, issued a red alert; leaving the traders and buyers in a state of uncertainty. Besides traders, the residents also felt a sense of insecurity while visiting the eateries on the start of the weekend amid threats due to the recent incident that took place in DHA’s Z block.
Security agencies issued a red alert on Thursday, warning the law enforcers of possible terrorists’ activities in the city’s busiest shopping and trading centres. The law enforcers were further told that the miscreants can target eateries located in the prime locations of the city.
On Friday, the Karachi police and paramilitary Rangers held snap checking in every nook and corner of the city to avoid any untoward incident. A heavy contingent of police and Rangers was also deployed on the entry and exit points during Friday prayers to avert any possible untoward terror activity.
A decline of visitors was seen in the markets and shopping centres. The shopkeepers were seen reading newspapers and sipping tea, largely in a state of idleness. “We are sitting here for business and we are not afraid of anyone,” a shop owner at Zainab Market vowed.
“I will request the residents to break the fear and come out of their houses for routine shopping,” he requested. “The visitors are very few and there is no activity in the market,” another shopkeeper in the market complained, demanding the government to give a sense of security to the residents of the city.
Plenty of police and federal forces’ personnel were seen stationed inside the markets to give security to the both traders and the buyers. The law enforcers were also seen engaged in checking the vehicles entering into the markets.
“All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI) held a meeting to review the situation following the issuance of terror alert,” AKTI Chairman Ateeq Mir told this scribe. The traders of the city have decided that they wouldn’t be frightened and they [traders] wouldn’t allow terrorists to win this psychological war,” he added.
“The traders have decided that they would open markets amid terror alerts to send the terrorists a message that they wouldn’t let them achieve their nefarious designs by creating chaos in the society,” AKTI Chairman vowed, “The traders have opened markets today and would open markets as per schedule without keeping low trading activity in view.”
Mir demanded the Sindh government to take action against people involved in spreading fake terror alerts on Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) behalf and hold them accountable.
