The grip of extortionists and target killers on the city might have loosened a bit after the law enforcement agencies surgical operations, but for the residents of Quaid-e-Azam Colony in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 4, nothing much has changed. They claim that extortionists belonging to the Awami National Party (ANP) are continuing to make their lives miserable. The activists of the party have forcibly occupied a house in the area and converted it into their ward office. They ask for their “share” in all property deals and from shopkeepers and also for letting Karachi Electric Supply Company technicians work in the area in case of a technical fault.
The activities of these extortionists have forced many shopkeepers including butchers, milk sellers, scrap dealers and roadside vendors to shut down their businesses and leave the area.
“Wealthy industrialists complain about having to pay extortion money every month to these people, whereas we have to pay them every day or else they won’t allow us to run our businesses,” a shopkeeper of the area, requesting anonymity, told Pakistan Today.
According to a distressed resident, the rates of properties in the area have been badly affected because of the party’s ward office and the activities of its activists. The suffering residents are reluctant to move out fearing that their houses would be occupied by the ANP activists.
“I can’t sell my house as there are no buyers and if I lock my house and rent a place somewhere else, they [ANP activists] will occupy my property,” said another resident. A scrap dealer of the area had recently accused the ANP activists of stealing merchandise worth millions from his shop, but police took no action against them. During the last wave of violence, there were many killings in the colony. The residents said that a few months back, the police conducted a raid at the ward. Even though the party activists are seen openly carrying guns, the police were unable to recover any weapon and the party activists soon resumed their activities.
The flags of the party are still hoisted throughout the colony despite the apex court’s order that all political parties should remove them from the city.
Calling the colony a mini-Kati Pahari, a youth of the area said, “A man wearing Western clothes cannot take the road leading to the ward office at night, otherwise drunken men of the party will give him a thrashing.” ANP Sindh General Secretary Bashir Jan told Pakistan Today that he is unaware about these activities of the office-bearers of the party’s ward office. “However, action will be taken against any party activists involved in any criminal activity whatsoever,” he added.