KARACHI: Karachi witnessed yet another strike on Monday on the call of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), a conglomerate of various Shiite organizations against killing of 45 people in Abbass town bomb blasts on Sunday with many parts of the city remained closed. Traffic was also thin.

The strike call was supported by various political and religious parties including Jammat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema Islam, MQM, PML(N), Jamiat Ulema Pakistan, and Sunni Tehrik,

All major markets, business and commercial centers in the city remained closed. Public transports also remained off the roads.

The strike generally remained peaceful, however reports of aerial firing and burning of vehicles were received form a few areas. Angry mobs burnt tyres on different portions of University Road, Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Malir, and some other parts.

A visit to the different areas showed that all main markets and commercial centres including Saddar, Bohri Bazaar, Electronics Market, Zaibunnisa Street, Regal Chowk, Zainab Market, Tariq Road, Hyderi, KDA Market (Gulshan-i-Iqbal ) remained closed. Situation was same in Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad , Federal B Area, New Karachi, Landhi, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulisntan-e-Jauhar where most of bazaars, markets and shops remained closed.

A number of petrol pumps remained closed in respective areas. Many offices and industrial units in the city also remained closed.

Attendance at private and state-owned universities, colleges and schools was thin due to unavailability of public transport. All Pakistan private Schools Association had already announced the closure of private schools in Karachi for Monday. Inter-city transport also remained suspended.

Examinations at private and state-owned universities and colleges were also postponed.

Trading at the Fruit and Vegetable Market (New Sabzi Mandi) was affected due to the strike, which also affected port activity due to the unavailability of transport vehicles in adequate number.

Meanwhile, strike was also observed in all over the Sindh against killing of Shiites..

Several protest demonstrations were held in Hy6derabada, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Larkana, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Thatta, Sanghar, Jaccobabad, and other parts of Sindh.

Addressing the demonstrations, the MWM leaders warned that their party’s policy of peace should not be considered its weakness.

If the killers of Shiite Muslims were not arrested, the public might take some extreme steps to force the government for that, they said.

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