KARACHI: Cargo shipments from the Karachi Port to all other areas of the country came to a standstill as thousands of workers and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf blocked the major exit route next to the Karachi Port on Friday.
The peaceful PTI protesters blocked the Jinnah Bridge which brought the cargo movement from Karachi to a total halt with a long queue of cargo-laden trucks with containers lining up.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan had vowed to close Karachi to press the government to investigate rigging in elections 2013. The closure of the strategic Jinnah Bridge, the primary entry and exit points to and from the Karachi Port was just one of the over two dozen venues where PTI workers and supporters staged peaceful sit-ins that choked the traffic flow across the city.
Schools and other educational institutions remained closed in the city. Public transport did not ply the city roads.
Most of the major markets in the downtown, financial and otherwise extremely busy trading centres in Saddar, along with II Chundrigar Road, the biggest grocery and spices wholesale market of the country, Jodia Bazaar remained closed.
The attendance at the offices remained thin. A large number of staff, particularly at many directorates at thr Customs House, did not show up and those attended office left early.
Model Customs Collectorates of Appraisement East and West remained open, though a large number of staff did not show up.
The markets and bazaars started opening after PTI Chaiman Imran Khan finished his address to the party workers and supporters.
