Even though life is returning to the city’s market after the government’s operation against target killers however, extortion is still rampant in the city. The citizens have breathed a sigh of relief after the operation as no targeted killing has been reported in two days, the traders are still under immense threat as they are still receiving extortion notes from various groups demanding extortion, traders, who did not want to be named told Pakistan Today.
“It seams that the government and law enforcement agencies have given a free hand to the extortionists as they are openly carrying out their illegal practices across the city,” they said adding that the traders, who have already faced huge losses under the present law and order situation, are paying huge amounts to these groups. On Wednesday the traders at Aaram Bagh Medicine Market also held a demonstration against threats issued to them for non-payment of extortion. They kept their shops shut down while staging a protest on MA Jinnah Road. Trader will have no option but to close markets again if the current situation was not remedied by the government, they said. The crisis stricken traders and shopkeepers are receiving phone calls demanding extortion money with alarming audacity. They are told that a little resistance could mean ultimate death.
Talking about the improved life in the city’s markets, traders said that all shops and markets are now opened for public. For the last two days people have still been worrying still worried about the poor law and order situation. A shopkeeper at Tariq Road, the busy market area of the city, said that he was worried about the repayment for the cloths he ordered from Faisalabad for making clothes for Eidul Fitr. As the trader book goods like cloths, cosmetics, shoes and others from up country to meet the demands of the city during the religious festival, one month before Ramazan, they were worried about the expected losses. The traders who have lost over Rs25 billion worth of business during the last 22 days are unlikely to recover even 50 per cent of their losses during the remaining six days of pre-Eid shopping.
The extortionists, they claimed, have also made it clear to various traders that as the holy month and Eid festivals are the main season for collecting money there would be no compromise. Fear and panic among traders has also multiplied because extortionists have taken down signs, phone numbers and even CNIC numbers from various shops. The extortion is not confined to the city’s old and busy markets but it has also spread to the industrial areas of the city. However, the traders, they said, would organize prolonged protest soon after the forth coming Eid against the extortion as they, during the next six days, could not afford further closure of markets.
Extortions continue despite operation in Karachi
