Staff Report

KARACHI: All Karachi Trader Ittehad (AKTI) announced shutterdown strike for Wednesday, June 13 in protest against the continued abductions and killings of businessmen, extortion and crimes in the city's markets, traders said, reports SAMAA.

Traders said the meeting the AKTI members held under the chairmanship of Atiq Mir showed disappointment over the government's inaction to ensure security to business community. With a clear warning to the PPP-led coalition, traders also decided to go for a three-day shutterdown across the metropolis if the government fails to act against outlaws.

"We [traders] need watertight security arrangements in Karachi and demand of the government to harness police and rangers with a full authority to clamp down on outlaws indiscriminately," traders cited the meeting's minutes.

 They said the traders also wanted the government to undertake a clampdown operation against criminals on non-political basis to cleanse the city of chaos creating forces. The traders also set forth a demand to the government to provide at least Rs 1 million of compensation to the bereaved families of those deceased traders who fell victim to targeted killings.

The meeting also urged Pakistan Army Chief, General Pervaiz Ashfaq Kayani to again pay a visit to the violence-hit Karachi to review the situation so that peace could be established and normality returned.

Talking to media, Atiq Mir said there are only 6000 police personnel that are looking after general public's security in the city, while 27,000 personnel have been appointed for protection of elite class.

 "The government should deploy at least 10,000 police personnel in District South alone in a bid to reduce soaring crimes in markets and on streets of the economic hub of the country," he said.

Slamming the government, he said, it has done nothing in practical to prove its action against the outlaws, adding that "the government should break its four-year policy of silence against killers."

He said the disappointed traders have no other option but to convince the government to accept their pleas and therefore they are closing their businesses for one day in protest against insecurity. The civil society should support the traders' strike, Atiq Mir said. SAMAA