KARACHI: Trading activities in the city remained almost suspended on Saturday because of continuous rain since Friday afternoon.

Factory output on the weekend plummeted by 50-80 per cent in different industrial areas, as people failed to reach workplaces due to thin public transport. Many shop owners also opted to stay at home after rain and sewage submerged roads and markets.

The same situation prevailed in industrial areas where workers riding bikes and cars could not mark their attendance at their respective factories.

Many industrial units were also hit by power breakdowns following heavy rain.

Some multinationals and big private units usually remain closed on Saturdays. However, their production units suffered huge losses, especially in the textile sector that is already under stress.

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) President Masood Naqi estimated that a production loss of Rs500 million occurred between Friday and Saturday afternoons due to 50pc workers’ attendance that cut the production by half. It was despite the fact that all production units stayed open, the Kati president said.

He said arrangements are being made to offset production losses of almost two days by calling up workers for two hours’ of overtime next week. He said many export shipments have been delayed due to persistent rain and bad road conditions.

According to Site Association of Trade and Industry President Asad Nisar Barkhurdaria, all 3,000 units located in the area remained open, although about half of total workers showed up for work, causing a 50pc drop in production.

F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry President Jawed Suleman said the area suffered an 80pc drop in production activities, as a majority of workers did not show up for work. Many parts of the area were hit by power failures while sewage and rainwater affected infrastructure that caused a delay in export shipments.

Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (Paapam) Chairman Mashood Ali Khan said the production plunged 60pc in over 120 Paapam units located in different areas, as a majority of workers stayed home on Saturday.

He said many members had to run their factories on private power-generating units owing to the suspension in K-Electric’s power supply. Some industrialists have lined up workers for overtime on Sunday if rain stop while other units expect to cover up productivity losses next week.

North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry’s former chairman Syed Iktida Ali said the production plunged 60pc, as only 40pc workers reported for work on Saturday.

All Karachi Tajir Itehad President Atiq Mir estimated that Rs5bn trade loss took place from Friday to Saturday afternoons, as most markets remained shut.

He said markets in old-city areas, which form the hub of the wholesale trade, were completely closed because of sewage and rainwater.

Neither the city government nor the provincial government bothered to drain out rainwater from the wholesale hub until Saturday evening, he added.

Sindh Tajir Itehad Chairman Jamil Paracha said it is unlikely that old-city areas will open on Monday unless the government tries to drain out rainwater.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2017