Karachi, Pakistan – Wholesalers in Karachi have announced that they will shut down their markets on Monday to protest against “illegal raids and fines” by the district administration to curb hoarding, reported Arynews.tv.
The Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA) Chairman Rauf Ibrahim said that the district administration is spreading fear among traders by raiding and sealing shops and go-downs. He warned that the association will close all wholesale markets on Monday if the shops and go-downs are not desealed by the district administration.
Ibrahim alleged that the district administration is sealing even closed shops and godowns in the name of crackdowns on hoarders. He said that the association is ready to cooperate with the authorities during crackdowns on hoarders, but urged the administration to take strict action against real hoarders only.
The announcement of the strike comes a few days after it emerged that the price and availability of sugar were gradually becoming stable and normal with the caretaker government launching a massive crackdown to curb smuggling and hoarding of essential commodities.
It remains to be seen whether the district administration will heed the demands of the wholesalers and deseal the shops and go-downs. If the strike does take place, it could disrupt the supply of essential commodities to Karachi and other parts of the country.
