Jodia Bazaar Strike Shuts Down Pakistan’s Largest Wholesale Market Over Fines and Shop Sealing

Karachi’s Jodia Bazaar, the largest wholesale market in Pakistan, will remain closed due to a strike announced by the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association. The shutdown is expected to disrupt the supply of essential food commodities to markets across the country.

The Chairman of Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association Abdul Rauf Ibrahim says that wholesale grocery shops in Jodia Bazaar, Lea Market, Dandia Bazaar, Nanak Wara, Landhi, Malir, Korangi and Liaquatabad will also shut down in solidarity with the strike.

The closure of Jodia Bazaar may impact the national distribution of food items for a short while, as the bazaar is one of the biggest wholesale supply hubs in Pakistan.

The association called the strike after authorities allegedly arrested shopkeepers, imposed hefty fines, closed stores and harassed them regarding the price of flour. Abdul Rauf Ibrahim said that the penalties ranged from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. There are 150,000 levied on traders.

He also claimed that authorities were not handing out official challan documents but rather an Easypaisa payment number, saying there were no written challans issued to shopkeepers.

The wholesale traders also asked why the flour mill owners were not subjected to the same treatment. They said high flour prices are due to the flour mills and demanded action from the authorities on the flour producers rather than the wholesalers.

The traders have promised to keep protesting against the demands of several wholesale shops, which are still shut in Jodia Bazaar, in the association.

Jodia Bazaar is one of the major wholesale trading markets in the country and its closure will affect various essential goods movement including disruption of immediate supply in different cities of Pakistan, if the strike is extended.