Nearly every trader pays hefty amounts to extortionists who make calculated threats with details of their bank accounts and family life, says a trader.
RAWALPINDI:
Jamil* left the tribal areas near Peshawar last year after Mangal Bagh, the head of Lashkar-e-Islam, ordered him to pay Rs5 million as ‘protection money’. He established his business in the garrison city but has not been able to escape extortionists.
“My brother went away to Lahore but he was traced and shot after we refused to pay,” he said. “If they can kill my brother in Lahore, they can kill me here.” Bagh had given him two options: send two volunteers from the family to join the militant outfit or pay Rs5 million annually. Jamil said he was willing to pay the amount but his brother refused to give in.
A couple of months after settling in Rawalpindi, Jamil received a call from an unknown number. The man, an acquaintance, warned him to pay the extortion sum in three days or face consequences. Jamil did not think much of it but after three days, he received news of his brother’s murder.
Extortion payments are common in the garrison city. Nearly every trader pays hefty amounts to extortionists who make calculated threats with details of their bank accounts and family life, said Jamil.
A trader in Raja Bazaar, refusing to reveal his name and the nature of his business, said he recently paid Rs2 million. “Three people came to my store and asked me to pay up after discussing the amount of money I could spare.”
Even though he had agreed to pay the amount, his son was kidnapped by extortionists and freed after they received the money.
Traders said phone calls from extortionists almost always start with, “We are fighting a holy war against infidels and if you cannot volunteer for the fight then help our cause with cash,” and end with death threats in case of refusal or tipping off the police.
The Express Tribune learnt that a trader recently shifted his business to Islamabad after his minor daughter was kidnapped. She is still in captivity and he refused to share any details when contacted.
Mistrust of the police and the ability of extortionists to strike anyone anywhere have forced traders to pay whatever is demanded. Most of the time police officials themselves are involved in the racket so how can we trust them? asked Ramzan, a trader in Rawalpindi.
A vendor was gunned down on Monday night for refusing to pay extortion in the jurisdiction of Waris Khan Police Station. A member of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the police said to inform them about petty criminals only and not “national level” players, like the Taliban and “politically connected” groups.
In Pirwadhai, Saddar and Raja Bazaar, traders are forced to pay millions in the name of jihad. Rawalpindi City Police Officer Bilal Kamyana admitted that traders were forced to pay extortion sums to various groups operating in the city. “How can we trace these criminals if traders don’t cooperate with us?” he asked, adding that the police was monitoring the situation and stern action would be taken against extortionists.
Extortionists’ networks are active in other cities as well. Several attempts have been made on the lives of PTI leader Sadaqat Abbasi and his father-in-law, who own hotels in Murree for refusing to pay up. “A man left a flash drive, on which a video featured people with long beards and sophisticated weapons,” Abbasi said. “They demanded Rs100 million and gave details of our assets.”
Abbasi informed the police and an FIR was registered. A few days later, his house in Topa, Murree, was targeted. However, the house was unoccupied as the family was in Islamabad at the time. They still call us and we’ve provided contact numbers and even identified people who are providing information about our movement but no action has been taken, he said. A six-kilogramme explosive connected to a remote was also defused outside Abbasi’s house.
“Taking advantage of the opportunity, agents for other hotels are frightening away tourists, asking them not to stay in hotels owned by Abbassi, due to which our business is suffering.”
* Name changed to protect identity
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2013.
COMMENTS (14)
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If the extortionist have details of assets and bank accounts it means that they have inside information from Banks and other private sources. A recent email circulating on the internet says that in Karachi membership lists of Clubs have found their way into the hands of criminals. God help us!
@Realist:
"Firstly, we have to be clear that the TTP is not a Pakistani creation (though the founder took part in the US-funded insurgency against the Russian invasion of Afghanistan), nor was it ever used as a political tool of terror by the Establishment."
The Establishment did formulate the policy of training, nurturing and deploying Jihadist terrorists as foreign policy tools against neighbors Afghanistan and India. What they did not realize is that these strategic assets have a more fundamental motive than just attack India and Afghanistan.
While they may be in the back pocket of the Establishment to be used as foreign policy assets, these terrorists are united steadfast when it comes to the ideology of creating an Islamic Caliphate. Thus it should be of no surprise that these assets would one day mutate and concentrate on their core ideology. The TTP is one such group. To them, nationalism or man-made states (including Pakistan) means nothing.
Therefore, while the Establishment may not be able to use TTP anymore for its geopolitical games, the Establishment should indeed get the "credit" for creating them and nurturing their core ideology.
@etblog2013
And it is all done in the name of God, it seems the Punjab's ruling class is more worried about kids learning comparative religious studies in their private schools than eradicating this religious menace from the their province and let the traders do business with out any threats to their lives or their love ones from these religious zealots.
Whole nation is responsible for this situation. We made them Heroes and called them Mujahideen without realizing that Jihad is an expensive adventure. When in sermons scholars make calls for Jihad, actually they are asking us to make contributions. If we don't pay them voluntarily, they have no other choice except to take it by force.
In The MMA government in KP (2003-07) the foot soldiers of TTP and Jihadi outfits reached the urban areas of the province and now the PML(N) government in the Center and Punjab seems oblivious of their activities in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore.
the reporter didn't explain that the extortionists and the militants were the same or were from different group?
If this is done openly, then it must have the approval of CII (based on Islam).
The menace is no longer confined to tribal areas, and has reached the settled areas in Pakistani heartland. Hilary Clinton was right when she said that if we raise snakes in our backyard, we should not be surprised if they bite us.
The lower cadre of Police & those raised from them are also part of this 'Private jihad", otherwise the extortion was not possible.
In the name of charity most citizens are financing terror groups that are killing people like mosquito's. Pakistan is not the only country where charity and terror go hand in hand. The filthy rich Arabs from Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar are also fueling terror in Pakistan, all in the name of charity. While they keep their streets clear of terror and violence they have no qualms in financing terror and violence on foreign soil.
@Fiz:
"Today, its fully understandable that our lopsided foreign policy has landed us into a thick soup."
There you go, you got it right. Use of terrorists as foreign policy assets against neighbors by the Army Establishment has come back to bite Pakistan. One reaps what one sows.
Sad! This scourge has now reached settled areas of our country. First time I heard about such activities was in 90's in Tank. It was a small,fleeting news about a school where talibans came and demanded children to be donated for use in so called "Jihad." It got me thinking "whats going on?" Today, its fully understandable that our lopsided foreign policy has landed us into a thick soup.