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MQM strike call falls flat in Karachi, other cities

Life remains normal, businesses, schools open as per routine.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) suffered a severe reversal when its call for a shut down in Karachi and other parts of Sindh in protest over alleged extra-judicial killings of party workers failed to evoke any appreciable response on Saturday.
Life in most parts of Karachi remained normal and business and educational institutions opened as per schedule.
The MQM had declared Saturday as day of mourning and asked people to close their businesses, educational institutions and keep transport off roads.
A spokesman of the Sindh Rangers in a statement said peace-loving citizens of Karachi and other major cities in the province rejected the call for strike.
It reaffirmed its resolve to maintain peace and order and eliminate all forms of terrorism and other criminal activities.
The shut down call by MQM was the first in months. It's failure was termed as a huge jolt to its prestige and well recognised ability to shut the city at will.
Earlier on Friday night, Rangers repudiated MQM's allegation the its four workers were killed while under Rangers' custody. The para-military force claimed that the four workers were hiding in MQM's 'safe houses'. They were killed in an encounter with the Rangers, it was claimed.
Both the Rangers and Sindh government warned that any attempt to force closures would be dealt with sternly. On Saturday, the Rangers arrested eight MQM activists on the charge of attempts to coerce shopkeepers to close shops. Those arrested would be tried under anti-terrorism laws, it was stated in the afternoon.
Regular public transport could be seen on the roads of the Karachi while petrol pumps and schools were also operating as per routine.
No significant decrease could be observed in traffic on the roads in a majority of the city's areas.
Rangers personnel were present in sensitive areas of Karachi as well as in spots of the metropolis that are routinely crowded.
Most traders opened their shops and businesses. However, markets in some areas, including Korangi, Federal B. Area, Landhi and Karimabad, known to be MQM strongholds, remained shut.
In a statement, the Rangers came up with details of charges against the MQM workers killed in the encounter.
The force said: "All four terrorists were involved in several cases of target killing and extortion in Korangi Industrial Area as part of Raees Mama's hit-men team."
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