Crimes and uncertainty take toll on businesses

Traders say 100 cases of robbery, kidnapping occur every day.

FAISALABAD:

Law and order is absent in the city and with the resultant fear and uncertainty investment is being driven away and industrial activity is coming to a halt. The city of Faisalabad sees more than 100 incidents of robbery, kidnapping and murder every day with industrialists and traders being the main target, according to representatives of the city’s business community.

These were the issues which had perturbed traders and businessmen of Faisalabad who issued a joint declaration, signed by more than 30 leading trade associations, here on Wednesday, calling on the government to take strict measures for the security of trading and business community.

These trade bodies represented a wide spectrum of areas including cotton, textile, wholesalers, retailers and others.

“Faisalabad is known as “Manchester of Asia” for its extensive development of the textile industry. Textile items worth $4 billion are exported annually, which is at stake for want of security of life and property of exporters,” the declaration said.

They asked people’s representatives in power corridors to play their due role and highlight the issue at the highest levels. They said criminals were not apprehended and punished due to lack of appropriate system, forcing flight of capital and closure of industries.

The traders lashed out at the police, saying they had failed to maintain law and order in the city, which caused losses of millions of rupees to the businesses. “This is the worst economic situation in the city during the last three years,” the declaration said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2011.