KARACHI: Businessmen Group Chairman and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) former president Siraj Kassam Teli and President Muffasar Atta Malik, while strongly condemning the hand grenade attack at Kharadar cloth market in which an elderly citizen was killed and five others were injured, urged the Sindh government and Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) to save small traders and shopkeepers from the clutches of extortion mafia, which is responsible for sabotaging peace and security in Karachi by triggering the element of fear across the city.
In a statement, Siraj Teli and Muffasar Malik stressed that LEAs must devise strict strategies to completely wipe out extortionists and ensure foolproof security to the business and industrial community, particularly small traders and shopkeepers of the Old City Areas who continue to receive threats and were being victimised by the Extortion Mafia.
They said that the extortion mafia elements are fearlessly carrying out their activities at some of the busiest markets of the city during broad daylight, which clearly highlights the lapses of Police, Rangers and other LEAs to deal with the situation.
“LEAs including Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Police have been urging shopkeepers and small traders to refrain from paying extortion money and assuring to provide security to their lives and businesses but keeping in view the constant threats by extortion mafia and the recent incident in Kharadar market, it appears that the perturbed shopkeepers are at the mercy of extortionists as any refusal to succumb to their demands usually results in dire consequences”, they added.
BMG chairman and KCCI president further noted that small traders and shopkeepers are in a confusing situation nowadays as on one hand, they are constantly receiving threats from extortionists and on the other, they are being detained by Rangers on the charge of facilitating extortion activities.
“When the Rangers and Police know that most of the extortion activities including the recent one, has been carried out by a particular gang based in Lyari, what refrains them from taking strictest action against such culprits”, they asked adding the situation would lead to trust deficit and damage the image of Police and Rangers who have done a splendid job under Karachi Operation to restore peace to certain extent but they have partially remained unsuccessful in dealing with rising activities of extortion mafia and street crimes.
Appreciating those shopkeepers of Kharadar cloth market who refused to give extortion money that led to hurling of hand grenade, Siraj Teli and Muffasar Malik advised small traders and shopkeepers of all markets to immediately report extortion threats to KCCI and LEAs so that its Sub-Committee on Law and Order could privately take up and pursue such cases with Police and Rangers in order to avoid such untoward incidents in future.
They urged Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Home Minister Sohail Anwer Siyal, DG Rangers Major General Mohammad Saeed and IG Sindh AD Khawaja that instead of issuing the traditional notice and seeking report of the incident, they must order strict action this time in order to provide relief to the business community. “The extortionists, who are attempting to once again plunge Karachi into the darkness of insecurity and lawlessness, have to be apprehended at any cost”, they stressed.
