Raising concerns: Traders protest against threats

KARACHI: Traders and shopkeepers of Old City staged a protest against extortion threats on Friday. The protesters said that they found a threatening letter in one of the shops at Steel Market near Pan Mandi within the jurisdiction of the Risala police. Besides the letter, unidentified men also locked the shop. The letter read: “You will face a massive loss if [you] try to break the lock.” A large number of traders and shopkeepers shut down their shops in protest of the incident and demanded police protection. Steel Market union president Muhammad Shamoon said the protesters ended their protest after the police assured them of protection. On the other hand, Risala SHO Zulfiqar said the traders and shopkeepers will be provided security. The police are trying to locate and arrest the culprits behind the incident, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2015.