Traders operating in parts of Old City area of Karachi, which includes Garden, Kharadar, Lyari and Pak Colony, have begun shutting down their businesses temporarily due to an increase in demands for extortion, local media reported.
“We prefer to shut down the shops rather than tell the police as the extortionists are also sending bullets with the paper chits that contain their demands,” said one trader on the condition of anonymity. “The extortionists send representatives whenever they want to collect the money while police and Rangers look on as silent spectators.”
He added that the extortionists, who present their demands to all the shopkeepers ranging from poultry vendors to jewellers, demand anywhere between Rs500,000 to Rs2 million. “The Anti-Extortion Cell, which was set up in March 2013, has been ineffective in tackling the problem,” he said, adding that the data collected by the Citizens Police Liaison Committee states that 421 complaints of extortion were received from Karachi during the first three months of 2013.
Meanwhile, caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Zahid Kurban Alavi said that the government was aware of the problems faced by small businessmen and was trying to resolve them. He was speaking to a delegation of the Alliance of Market Associations Saddar and Sindh Sarafa and Jewellers Association on Monday.
“The provincial government has taken comprehensive measures to improve the law and order situation in Karachi,” he said. He also informed the delegation that the provincial government had also issued the order for arms licences to be issued to traders. “The businessmen who have been paying taxes can get the licence to keep weapons after they have their National Tax Numbers verified.”
He assured the delegation that the government would do everything it could to protect the business community.
The caretakers are working on daily basis. they are counting days when they will go homes fully relaxed
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