KARACHI: The city remained in a state of grief and shock on Wednesday over the Peshawar massacre, with suspension of trade and business activities on a voluntary basis, holding of special prayers and condolence meetings at educational institutions and courts, and candle-lit vigils by students, civil society organisations and political parties.

Dozens of ceremonies and programmes were organised throughout the day with the participation from all segments of society to show their solidarity with the families of the victims and to condemn the brutality.

While there was no announcement from the Karachi traders` association for business closure, leaders of the community said that the `sense of grief prevailed so strong` across the country that majority of their members stayed away from regular activity.

`It was purely a voluntary gesture,` said a spokesman for the Karachi Tajir Ittehad a common platform of 350 wholesale and retail markets across the city. `We didn`t need to convey any decision, neither did anyone ask us before doing so. You know well that business in Karachi can`t afford a single day off but the traders here belong to and own every inch of Pakistan, and thePeshawar tragedy is our very own loss.

At Pakistan Chowk, a large number of traders from the Bohra community staged a demonstration. The protesters were holding placards inscribed with slogans to condemn the Peshawar incident. They also organized Quran Khwani for the victims of the Peshawar gun and bomb attacks.

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The legal fraternity also stayed away from court proceedings in protest over the massacre of children. The Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) in an urgent meeting strongly condemned the terror attack at the Army Public School in Peshawar. The meeting, which was also addressed by the SHCBA President Abid S.

Zuberi, adopted a unanimous resolution demanding that the authorities provide adequate and foolproof security at all public places particularly education and religious institutions to avoid such incident.

Funeral prayers in absentia were offered for the Peshawar victims on the Sindh Assembly premises. Sindh Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sikandar Mandhro, the Sindh Assembly secretary and staff members of the Sindh secretariatattended the funeral. `This is everyone`s loss, said Dr Mandhro while talking to reporters after the prayers. `We are equally grieved and can feel the pain of those families who have lost their loved ones. The terrorists must better understand now that we are untied against their terrorism.

A condolence meeting was also organised at Frere Hall by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. Chaired by Karachi administrator Rauf Akhtar Faroogi, the meeting was attended by MQM lawmaker Rehan Hashmi and senior of ficials of KMC. `The nation is united and the enemies of Pakistan will never succeed in their ulterior motives. We can have different opinions on various subjects but for Pakistan we all are united and on the same page,` said Mr Hashmi while addressing the meeting.

Educational activities remained suspended at a number of schools, which were open, as students participated in various programmes to show solldarity with the students of APS, Peshawar.

Students of Army Public School, Malir Cantonment, wore black armbands and staged a rally to protest the Peshawar killing. The marchers were holding placards and posters inscribed with slogans to show solidarity with the students of the APS, Peshawar and condemn the killings.

The University of Karachi and the Federal Urdu University for Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi campus, postponed their scheduled exams. A number of KU students participated in the Quran Khwani held at a mosque on university premises. It was followed by a condolence meeting, which was chaired by Library Science Department chairperson Prof Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, at the Dr Mahmood Hussain Library.

The meeting adopted a unanimous resolution, demanding indiscriminate action against the perpetrators ofsuchincidents.

A large number of Jamaat-iIslami workers converged on New M.A. Jinnah Road to offer funeral prayers in absentia for the victims of the Peshawar attack. Former City Nazim and senior JI leader Niamatullah Khan led the prayers, which were also attended by other senior leaders. `Joint efforts of the government, army and people are need of the hour to uproot terrorism from the country,` said Karachi JI chief Hafiz Naeem-urRahman. He added that it was government responsibility to make facts behind the Peshawar massacre known to the people.

Staff at the Jinnah PostgraduateMedical Centre (JPMC) also wore black armbands to express solidarity with the families of the Peshawar victims. A candle-lit vigil led by joint executive director Dr Seemin Jamali was followed by special prayers held at the Najamuddin Auditorium. A large number of health professionals also attended a condolence meeting organised by the Pakistan Medical Association at the PMA House.

The Karachi Press Club remained the centre of demonstrations and candle-lit vigils organised by different political parties, civil society and students` organisations one after another throughout the day. Among the organizers were Imamia Students Organisation, Mustafavi Student Movement, Sunni Tehreek, Islami Jamiat Talaba, Pasban, Jamat-udDawa Pakistan, Pakistan Hindu Council, Sindh Tajir Ittehad, Free Afia Movement and other organisations. Statements condemning the killing poured in from almost all parties representing different ideological backgrounds, which included the Pakistan People`s Party (PPP), Catholic Association, Awami Jamhoori Party, Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Tanzeem-i-Islami.