KARACHI / HYDERABAD: A countrywide shutter-down strike called by Jamaat-iIslami to show solidarity with the people of Palestine and condemn Israeli brutalities received an overwhelming response from across Sindh on Saturday.

Major cities, including the business capital of Karachi, witnessed a near-complete halt to commercial and daily activities.

The strike call saw widespread participation from traders, transporters, and the general public.

In Karachi markets, shopping centres, and business districts remained closed throughout the day.

The private transport services were largely off the roads and the usually bustling city wore a subdued look, reflecting a rare displayof unity among various groups, trade bodies and civil society responding to the call.

The businesses in other Sindh cities, including Hyderabad, Badin, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Umarkot, Jamshoro, Larkana remained closed.

In Karachi, major commercial areas, including Saddar, Tariq Road, Clifton, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Bolton Market, Burns Road, and Hyderi in North Nazimabad, remained shut from early morning hours.

Traders and businessmen in Jodia Bazaar, Kharadar, and Timber Market also observed the strike with shopkeepers voluntarily keeping their shutters down.

Although there was no announcement of support from the transporters body for the strike, a few public transport vehicles and rickshaws were available on roads.

With a reduced number of vehicles on the roads due to the strike, commuters faced difficulty in reaching their offices and workplaces.

However, after remaining completely closed duringthe regularbusinesshours,the shops and stores were reopened in residential areasin the evening.

The Jamaat-i-Islami thanked the city`s business community and described theresponse as a reflection of true sentiments of Karachiites in support of people of Gaza.

The party`s Karachi chief, Monem Zafar, along with other leaders and representatives of the traders` fraternity in Karachi, held a press conference in Saddar at a market.

The JI leader said that the countrywide strike was an eye-opener for those who are at the helm of affairs.

He said that from Karachi to Chitral, the strike had made it clear that the nation stands with the people of Gaza and Palestine, and demand that the leaders take immediate steps to stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza by the Zionist state.

`All the big and small markets, wholesale markets, fruits and vegetables markets, fuel pumps, and even courts are closed in solidarity with Gaza against Israel and the United States,` he said adding that Israel committed the worst kind of crimes against humanity in Gaza, whereas the United States was helping Israel.

He also criticised Muslim counties over their inability to act decisively.

On the occasion, the JI leader also condemned the Indian terrorism in the aftermath of a false-flag operation in the occupied Kashmir.

He said that the Modi government had unmasked its own face by suspending the 1960`s Indus Waters Treaty by taking hostile measures.

He also highlighted the issue of Kashmir and human rights violations on the part of Indian forces.

In Hyderabad, the city remained completely shuttered to express solidarity with people of Gaza while JI city chapter`s emir Hafiz Tahir Majeed and others told journalists outside local press club that people had made a history by closing markets today.

He condemned Israeli atrocities against hapless Palestinians and regretted that nobody was raising voice against the unprecedented cruelty and barbarism by Israel.

Anjuman Dukandaran-i-Resham Bazaar staged a procession from Medina Chowk to Hyder Chowk and the traders` leaders said that all Israeli products should be boycotted in solidarity with people of Palestine.

In Larkana, complete shutter-down strike was observed and activists of JI waving flags of Palestine and chanting slogans against Israel took to the streets. After marching on the main thoroughfares the protesters converged at the main gate of Jinnah Bagh and staged a sit-in.

Local JI leaders condemned Israel for its unprecedented bombardment on Gaza, destroying infrastructure and brutally killing innocent women and children. It was genocide of the people of Palestine, they said.

In Nawabshah, a complete strike was observed as all main markets and bazaars remained completely shuttered. Members of J1 and trade unions took out a procession which ended up outside local press club. JI`s women activists took out a separate march.The protesters`leaders demanded an immediate end to the Israeli aggression and said people of Pakistan stood by their brethren in Palestine and Gaza.

In Sukkur, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, KandhkotKashmore, Ghotki, Jacobabad and Khairpur districts, complete strike was observed and rallies and processions were staged by different religious parties and business bodies against the Israeli aggression.

The protesters` leaders by observing complete shutter-down strike across the country Pakistani nation had proved that they stood by the oppressed Muslims of Palestine.

They appealed to heads of Islamic countries to break their silence on Palestine, step forward and give Israel a befitting response so that the oppressed Palestinians could breathe a sigh of relief in their homeland.

In Mirpurkhas, a complete strike was observed and all main shopping centers and bazaars remained shuttered while processions were staged by different parties and groups which marched on main roads before converging on local press club where they staged a sit-in.

Similar strike was observed in Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Jhuddo, Naukot and Kot Ghulam Muhammad towns of the district as well as in Tando Allahyar.

In Badin, the city remained completed shut while activists of JI and other religious parties took out motorcycle rallies.

The JI activists burned an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and an Israeli flag outside local press club. All five talukas of the district and its small towns also remained shut.

Umerkot town remained completely shut as a mark of solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians. Similar protests were staged in Kunri, Samaro and Pithoro.

Mohammad Hussain Khan in Hyderabad, M.B.Kalhoro in Larkana, Zulfiqar Memon in Nawabshah, Waseem Shamsi in Sukkur, Qamaruddin Shaikh in Mirpurkhas, Muhammad Hashim Khan Bhurgari in Badin and A.B. Arisar in Umerkot also contributed to this report.