The call for a nationwide strike on Friday, January 1, 2010, given by several religious and political parties and councils to protest the Ashura carnage and arson in Karachi could have hardly come at a worse time. Dozens lost their lives and limbs in the suicide bombing (?) claimed by the Pakistani Taliban (?) – there are question marks on both accounts because the police have not confirmed either. Moreover, thousands of families were deprived of their livelihoods owing to the arson attacks on businesses that followed the bombing as law-enforcement personnel reportedly looked on. Now it seems that we are also bent on denying the daily wage-earners their livelihoods by calling for a shutter down and a wheel-jam.
Where has reason gone? Is this the ideal way to start the New Year after all the grief and loss that people have suffered in 2009? Do you support the call for the strike? Or do you think the country’s financial capital should resume normal functioning as soon as possible?
Murtaza Razvi is the Editor, Magazines, at Dawn.
The following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
What else do you expect in a country where the favorite mode of protest is burning property of the deprived. What purpose did it serve to torch motorcycles and Daewoo buses to protest ‘Motorcycles’ symbolize mostly lower middle class and Daewoo bus service is the only reasonable public transport service we have in Pakistan.
It’s not like bombers will be paralyzed by these strikes; instead these strikes will fuel the very purpose the terrorists seek i.e. paralyze the country.
A nationwide strike is called by political and religious parties. What will that accomplish?
How will that benefit the people of Pakistan? Tehrik E Taliban claimed responsibility, how will it help killed human beings? How will it help the shop keepers who were victims?
Instead of day of strike why not a day to rebuild Pakistan. Rebuild the shops by donating supplies and skilled tradesmen give a day of service to rebuild.
Let’s start by building a Better Pakistan, Better Karachi and let us start on January 1, 2010.
Call for the strike shows frustration, it is not the solution, by observing the strike adding more aggregation to the already deprived people of Pakistan, Karachi city represent the whole Pakistan. To show support and solidarity with the affected families we should work additional hours and donate that earning to charity organization, do some volunteer work etc. that is the only way move forward and prosperity.
May Allah(SWT) shower His mercy on departed souls and relief the difficulties and suffering of the surviving one.
These kind of strikes always impact negatively and break the tempo of business whether it is daily wages, salaried or trade. I agree with Kamran, it’s just to gain political mileage
I am strongly in favor of this call given the indifference of this eternally confused nation. It has – thanks to the right-wing media and several other incomprehensible factors – yet to determine whether the Taliban are their friends or foes. This strike shall give a sense of unity. It will demonstrate the fact that there are still some sympathetic people in this country. If it is not observed duly, it will not bode well for this country.
What difference will it make to the TTP and their manufacturer? They will get another
opportunity to create more havoc. We need to create a balance between our hindsight and foresight if we possess any.
It is important to show unity against the culprits I support it
Strike will add another coffin in already marginalized Pakistan economy. People should come out and enjoy new year shops should be open so that normal person can earn their bread and feed their family.
I do not support strike. The best way is to offer prayers for the deceased after Juma Prayers support the people who lost their shops & properties by arranging funds and to show unity among all the ethnic & religious groups. By doing this we will not only help our brothers who are in distress and deep grief but will also defeat the objectives of the terrorist. May God show our leaders the right path to lead our country towards prosperity and Peace.
Strike in general, is a way of peaceful reaction against unfavorable action. Unfortunately, in our country, strike becomes miserable for any walk of life due to violence causing loose of life and material, and it’s also a way of gaining political/religious/ethnical mileage. Therefore, being citizen of Pakistan strike should be condemned.
I think it is time we arrested all the thugs who call themselves “religious”. These animals have no right to destroy our beloved land.
I do support it. Thousands of people who have suffered such a high loss will feel a bit satisfaction that whole country is with them! Think Positive!
This is not the solution, we must think of those who work on daily wedges. Why we are keep doing losses by calling strikes? we must work on Sundays to compensate losses so that irresponsible govt would get a lesson that the people of Pakistan are united.
These types of strike calls are futile attempts to achieve any objective. They do more harm than good to the common man.
I don’t see the point of shutting down the city every time something goes wrong. By locking ourselves up in our homes we are playing directly into the hands of the animals who perpetrate this insanity. This is exactly what they want us to do.
If you want to protest, protest by going to work. Protest by showing that they can’t cage us in our homes just because we disagree with their ideology. Shutter down strikes are counter-productive and only hurt our already battered economy.
These strikes will serve no purpose. It’s the high time we adapt to the true. All sorts of rallies and processions should be ban from major business areas. A separate confined manageable area can be provided for all sorts of religious and political processions. Economic murder of thousands of people could have been avoided by adopting pragmatic approach in line with ground realities.
I Agree, Strike is not a Solution, but can any one provide any alternative way to convey the message for living a tension free life in our own Country.
I don’t second this decision as a significant proportion of people are dependent on their daily earrings. Such a step simply adds to their misery and distress and off course, a colossal loss to government regarding revenue generation.
Pakistan will be the only nation to start a new year with a strike. Strike always increases miseries of lower class.
One just has to reason, how would a strike help anyone, every time theirs a strike the common man is the one who suffers, Shutting down shops, businesses and transport is not a solution to our problems rather it escalates peoples annoyance and frustration.
I don’t support this strike. Strikes and wheel jams are not the solutions to this plague affecting our society, in the same way the violence after the blast only caused further loss and strife. Businesses will be affected, daily wage workers etc. And top of that, the worst part of strikes in Karachi is that if local people try to venture out, hooligans try to impose this strike. It’s not that I am not mourning the deaths of innocent people in that blast and the huge loss to the earnings and livelihood of the people of Karachi, but this is, as like in past, just not a solution to the prevailing problems.
The tragic incident of 10th Ashura has added another scar on the face of Pakistan tragic events profile.
The Karachi incident was a barbaric act. It was a try to create shia-sunni tension in the city.
Peaceful protests should be made, as that was a big security failure. But if you burn the cars, destroy properties, etc. it would eventually be our loss. The loss of our people.
The idea of strike is not so good. Our country is already far behind. Such strikes will give us nothing but a financial loss. We should not support the strike called on Friday.
People have already lost so much and instead of helping them these silly people are making things even worse by calling for shutter down strike. They themselves will be sitting in the comfort of their luxurious homes, think about those who work on daily wages.
Shutting down business will only benefit those who are working against our Pakistan.
These strikes shouldn’t take place! There are many other forms of expressing sadness. Think yourself don’t just sleep and do whatever others say!