Karachi markets to remain closed on September 3, Traders confirm

All major markets across Karachi will remain closed on September 3 as traders announce their participation in a nationwide peaceful strike against the petroleum levy.

KARACHI: All major markets across Karachi will remain closed on September 3 as traders announce their participation in a nationwide peaceful strike against the petroleum levy.

Trader leader Atiq Mir confirmed that markets across the city would remain shut on Thursday. The announcement is expected to affect commercial activity in several parts of Karachi as traders join the wider protest movement.

Karachi Traders Alliance General Secretary Minhaj Gulfaraz also confirmed that mobile phone and electronic markets would be closed as part of the strike.

The market closure comes after Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced a nationwide peaceful strike on September 3 against the petroleum levy. The party has been campaigning for relief for consumers and opposing what it considers excessive financial pressure on the public.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has warned the government that protests could expand from sit-ins to markets and major roads if adequate relief is not provided to the public.

He has also indicated that the protest movement could eventually include a long march toward Islamabad with public participation.

The planned closure in Karachi is expected to be closely watched because the city is Pakistan’s largest commercial hub and home to major wholesale and retail markets. The participation of mobile and electronics markets could further increase the impact of the shutdown on daily commercial activity.

Traders have repeatedly raised concerns over rising operating costs taxation and the broader economic pressures facing businesses. The latest announcement links the closure specifically to the wider protest against the petroleum levy.

The September 3 strike is therefore expected to create a significant disruption to commercial activity in Karachi, depending on the level of participation across different markets and business districts.

The announcement also comes amid broader concerns over inflation and the rising cost of doing business in Pakistan. Traders and political groups have called for measures that can provide relief to consumers and businesses.

With all Karachi markets expected to remain closed authorities and the business community are likely to closely monitor developments on the day of the strike.

The nationwide protest could also put additional pressure on the government to address concerns surrounding the petroleum levy and provide economic relief.

For Karachi residents and shoppers, the planned closure means many markets including mobile and electronic markets are expected to remain unavailable on September 3. Citizens may therefore need to plan their shopping and commercial activities accordingly.