KARACHI, June 13: As many as 40 per cent markets in the city are witnessing a 50 per cent decline in their daily sales because of closure of shops at 8pm from June 9. Wholesalers usually wrap up their transaction before 8pm, but retail markets like Tariq Road, Saddar, M.A. Jinnah Road, Jama Cloth, Hyderi, Karimabad, Water Pump, Bahdurabad, Clifton, etc., have huge daily business volumes and depend on buyers’ arrival after 5pm.

This was disclosed by Alliance of Market Association (AMA) Chairman Atiq Mir while talking to Dawn after a huge gathering of businessmen and traders’ body held a joint meeting with office-bearers of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday.

KCCI President Haroon Farooqi, senior vice-president Abdul Majeed Memon, vice-president Naqi Bari and business community leader Siraj Kassam Teli termed the government decision an `impracticable exercise’.

Mr Atiq said small traders were of the view that in case the decision was not taken back, they would continue holding protest. He says the government does not understand that actual buyers (in summer season) visit the markets after 5pm, while in winter consumers do shopping in afternoon and evening instead of chillier nights.

He said the KCCI leadership had assured full support to the small traders in this respect. The AMA chairman said load-shedding continued unabated in many shopping areas and markets despite tall claims by KESC of overcoming load-shedding through 75-80 megawatt power saving from early closure of shopping centres.

However, KESC officials claim that the utility company had been able to save 35-40mw as against the anticipated 75-80mw. There has been no let-up in hide-and-seek of power in residential areas since June 9, and the KESC officials have same stereotype excuses of demand and supply gap, tripping, cable faults, cut in supply from various sources, etc.

The AMA chief said Karachi had an estimated 150,000-200,000 retail shops, adding that some associations had decided to open shops earlier in the morning and close them by 8pm, but it would take at least a year in changing the late night shopping culture in city.

Earlier, in an urgent meeting at the KCCI, Siraj Teli supported the small traders’ demand and said due to frequent load-shedding in morning hours, it was difficult for shopkeepers/small businessmen to shut their businesses by 8pm.

He said through the notification, the respective government had effected strict implementation on the shop act and it was feared that it would give a freehand to bribery and extortion by the government officials.

“During the meeting, the house unanimously disapproved of the government decision and demanded alternative measures to overcome the problems of severe load-shedding,” Mr Teli said, adding that the business community could reduce its electricity consumption by almost 50 per cent.

He also suggested formulating a delegation of KCCI representatives and small traders for holding meeting with the Sindh governor and chief minister so that matter could be resolved and alternative measures could be suggested to counter power shortage.