RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The city returned to normality on Saturday from a three-day siege, as protest sit-ins cost Rs 12 billion to the national exchequer with nearly ceasing cargo supplies to and from ports to halt the country’s seaborne trade.

A protest spell spanned for three days until the Tahreek-e-Labaik Pakistan and the government struck a deal to end the sit-ins that had besieged the main and small cities with intercity roads to halt traffic in all parts of the country. The protests that had erupted in reaction to the Supreme Court’s verdict exonerating Aasia Bibi of blasphemy charges suspended business and trade activities.

Resultantly, schools, colleges and other academic institutions, social and commercial activities were widely affected across the country. “Overall Rs15 billion losses the traders suffer with one day partial closure of businesses on Chehlum Imam Hussain [RA],” Chairman All Karachi Tajir Ittehad, Atiq Mir told Business Recorder on Saturday. He said that the three-day sit-ins cost Rs12 billion to the country’s exchequer, keeping down the trading across the city’s markets. “The first day of the week and the last day of the week however help traders register good sales,” he said, adding that the issues related to religion are needed a judicious handling by the governments; such a recurrence will continue hammer the country’s economic growth.