Speaking to the media outside the assembly, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that if incidents of extortion and target killing are not curbed, his party might as well boycott the upcoming joint parliamentary session on March 17.
“Although we are a part of the coalition government, but we cannot forget the support that the people of Karachi have extended to us [MQM] by voting for us all these years,” he said. “We will raise our voice for their protection and also call for a peaceful protest.”
“Until and unless the government controls the deteriorating security situation in Karachi, we will stage a walk-out every day.”
He said that businessmen were shifting their businesses abroad from Karachi amid rising tensions in the city. “They are receiving death threats and threats that their children will be abducted.”
“It seems as if it is all by design and planned – as if the police officials in the areas where such incidents are rampant are deployed on the will of the extortionists,” said Rizvi.
“Karachi’s biggest flea market in Sher Shah which has more than 6,000 shops are stripped of Rs600,000 every day,” said the MQM leader. “[Interior Minister] Rehman Malik had announced for the establishment of police check posts in the area. In the check posts, you don’t find a single police official, but the vacant check posts are inhabited by dogs and druggies.”
Rizvi said that Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan. “If Pakistan has Rs100, then Rs70 are contributed by Karachi. If such a situation prevails, then Karachi’s businesses will not be able to flourish and this will result in the downfall of Pakistan’s economy.”
He said that the extortionists have shaped into an industry. “MQM contacted police, brought it in the notice of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah. We [MQM] have raised our voice against the growing extortion in Karachi.”
He added that the jewelry, iron, timber, marble and travel industries were the most threatened, while small and medium enterprises were also targeted.
COMMENTS (58)
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Can we call it drama of the year??
@Bilal:
I am from Karachi and my father is in KCCI with plenty of relatives in KSE.
Who are you kidding?! Yes we never threatened a boycott before because it was only MQM doing it but now everyone with a gun is copying them. That doesn't mean MQM is better than Lyari walas, PML-F or ANP it just means we can afford one bhatta per month but not four.
All Commentors from outside Karachi .Pray check the the crime records and FIRS of Karachi's police stations and talk to the Business Communities 90% of the crimes are committed in Karachi ( especially Extortion ) by thugs from Interior Sindh and Upcountry . 90% of the SHOs of Karachi are from Interior Sindh and upcountry .
And poor me .....always wondering how come so many people in Punjab and Interior Sindh could "afford" a notebook to wrtite silly comments against Karachi .Gotcha ...... : )
Sense of security, actual security, law & order, decent infrastructure, - these are some of the basic prerequisites for the business & ecnomic acitivity and development in the towns / cities / country.
What about regular snatching from drivers at Malir point during rush hours at around Maghrib!!!
@All Non-karachities Why there is no extortion in Lahore? Karachi main issue is that Police is not Local. I am also from Karachi btw
@to All MQM haters Go and visit Karachi business chamber of commerce and ask them about MQM reputation.
Some can get Altaf Bhai to give a statement like "Kal say karachi may koi extortion and phone snatching nahi ho gee" and then see the results.. if his "appeal" can stop all rioting, the walk out is just a little too much work to do to protest against extortion :-)
I am amazed at the capacity to hate. All these haters probably are not from Karachi sure. They have no stake in Karachi yet want to express their hatred. Mind you this is just too bad. There is one more place some pkpolitics where again the same hatred rules. That is a typical Pendu Lahori site. I can understand. Wonder if all these comments are from Punjab or PK? I hate this hatred and one track mind displayed. Shame on you all.
I don't get it really. So people here are suggesting that MQM is furious because they are not getting their shares? OK, lets suppose that is true for the sake of argument, so taking that into account, MQM should shutup and ignore the issue? In which case, these non karachiites friends of mine will blame MQM for not protecting rights of Karachiites.
The Gold Traders Association, the Marble Association, and the Karachi business man association, they never blamed or boycotted before? They are blaming the Police here, not MQM - get your facts straight.
lol, and someone said, MQM should boycott the elections, then what? live the life of Imran Khan's Djavu?
MQM is doing a good job, they are there to represent us the people of Karachi and they must do everything to reflect our sentiments. We are fed up with this terrible situation of extortion and kidnapping----it has got to stop before people decide to settle this law and order situation themselves. Thank you Haider Abbas and thank you MQM.
Pakistani Politicians are the worst kind of people in the world !!! They are soo blinded by the power and wealth they get out of politics that they would sink to any depths to fool you !!! They don't have any faith in anything cz if they did we wouldn't be in a state we're in right now !!!
@Karachiite: Strange that you can see this sitting as far away as you are---tell you what your this desire about Haqiqi is like saying Imran will eat away all PML-N and PPP votes and leave them with, like you say, nothing.
@MQM supporters: Any criticism against MQM should not be taken against Karachiites OR karachi OR muhajirs! Stop using the Muhajir card for God's sake OR you will never manage to expand out of Karachi AND at the same time Haqiqi will eat all your Muhajir vote leaving you with nothing!
@Hassan: Yes, where are they all those JIs, PTIs, PMLs and their so called leaders? Those laugh about the sufferings of people in Karachi and their demand for law and order here are nothing but typical stooges of feudal mndset------Hypocricy at its worst.
@Bilal: It's not just MQM's demand but it what we want, the people of Karachi. This lawlessness has got to stop and now.
@Bilal: By hating MQM's just demand these people actually disown Karachi and us the Karach Walas and it's good you remind them of their wrongdoings and what it brought to Pakistan.
If you do not want the people of Karachi to be extorted, do not extort them. Very simple. Isn't it................
Where are the rest of the hypocritical parties you all support? Your JI, PTI, PML? If they are so perfect why dont they raise their voice for Karachi?
why so much hate against MQM, we must change our thinking towards Karachities, we have already lost half of country by playing this hate play now what else we want, we must listen MQM demands carefully.
I am not a MQM supporter. But i lived in karachi for the last 30 years almost. This is the only political party in Pakistan which has done enormous work for karachi. People can forgive Imran Khan to take all-time corrupts and feudals on board. Why not forget a party which has done sone real work?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah... enuff said
Good going MQM....we are with u.....
Hypocrites
MQM, please stop this drama.
haha funny! Will fwd this joke to friends! :p
why do people mince words here? Everyone in Karachi knows MQM is responsible for the extortion. Add to that; terrorism. End of story.
I am surprised over we do we cry policy
Now this is extremely ridiculous...! Stop this so-called innocence and drama! Hello karachiites...! Plz wake up now!
Might is right.. Always.. yesterday MQM was in power to taking Extortion, today another party in power so they taking extortion, tomorrow some other will be in power so they will be taking extortion. it goes on.... until people make courage to stop it!
Pot calling the kettle black. MQM's feeling the pinch since others are taking away its share of the bounty.
Simply by boycoting and causing hurdles in parliment they want to run away from the important session that is about to discuss the course of our future ties with USA and our role in war on terror.If they would have been serious about Karachi then one wonders what has been they doing in parliment for last ten years because not only extortion karachi has been bleeding for decades now........
If only MQM can ask its own extortionists to walk out from Karachi 33% would be solved. Rest of 66% we need to negotiate with Peoples Amn Committee and ANP
What about Fitra and Animal hides snatching?? They also force people to pay them..what do u say about that Sir ....
MQM protest against Extortion(!) - LOL - Laugh Out Loud buahaha
Arghh! - yet another MQM drama!!!
Is that how we solve problems? Do we elect our 'representatives' so they can just throw a tantrum and walk out when they should be sorting things out?
Walkouts and protests make sense when matter at hand is of principle .. not when practical steps need taken to tackle a growing menace within society. Stop avoiding the subject and if you really care about extortion in Karachi, sit down and solve it.
No use Mr. Rizvi. How can a walk out help the cause if your three walk outs from the government couldn't help. Please stop being yourself and focus on the job.
"MQM walks out due to extortion" - joke of the century!!
Please stop this drama and part ways with the government to show your sincerity. You have also become a part of the status quo.
what a joke! they are probably not getting there share so they are crying about it.
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!! 1 can go to this limit?
MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that if incidents of extortion and target killing are not curbed, his party might as well boycott the upcoming joint parliamentary session on March 17.
THE SAME OLD BLACKMAILING TACTICS
i guess MQM's cash flow is dwindling due to competition...
MQM: "If we cant extort money, no one else should"
One Kamran Khan show on geo exposing MQMs lack of care for its voters and the next day all of a sudden we have showing that they care. MQM is now part of the status quo.
MQM...Thanks for this drama!