Businessmen demand action against crimes

Warn of staging sit-in, strike if criminals are not arrested

KARACHI:

Expressing concern over the recent target killing of business leader Asif Suleman Bilwani, businessmen and industrialists of Karachi have appealed to the army chief, prime minister and Sindh chief minister to swing into action forthwith against the runaway crime rates including target killings, street crimes, armed robberies and other heinous crimes in the economic hub of the country.

They called for the arrest of the criminals behind the killing of industrialists and students within 72 hours, otherwise they will launch a protest movement including a sit-in and strike until peace is restored in the city.

The law and order situation is going from bad to worse for a couple of months and if it is not addressed immediately, it will lead to an abrupt flight of investment and exacerbate problems for the already ailing economy.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president said Karachi has once again plunged into the darkness of lawlessness as every day either a businessman or industrialist or student or a common man was being murdered, which raises big questions over the performance of law enforcement agencies, particularly the police and Rangers who are primarily responsible for maintaining law and order situation in Karachi.

As per available CPLC data, 163 people were killed in Karachi from February to April 2024 and this number is likely to go up as more target killings took place in May and at the start of June.

At a press conference on Wednesday at the Federal B Area Trade and Industry (FBATI) secretariat, representatives of seven industrial zones expressed their anger at the lawlessness in the city, which recently claimed the lives of 78 residents, including industrialist Asif Suleman Bilwani and students.

FBATI President Syed Raza Hussain said this deteriorating situation took a heavy toll on economic activities of the city, which led to the closure of businesses and flight of capital to different countries.

SITE Association of Industry (SAI) President Muhammad Kamran Arbi urged the government and law enforcement agencies to take serious action against the killings and street crimes, while making Karachi an oasis of harmony.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2024.

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