Harsh warning: Ice cream parlour comes under fire allegedly for not paying extortion
The shop’s owner had received a slip and call asking for Rs500,000 a few days back.
The shop is owned by President Mamnoon Hussain’s nephew Abu Mutalib DESIGN: FAIZAN DAWOOD
KARACHI:
The Jeddah Ice cream shop, which opened in the city in 1986 at MA Jinnah Road, was reminded that running a business in Karachi comes with a price when at least five gunmen opened fire at the shop late Tuesday night for allegedly not paying extortion money.
The shop, which is owned by President Mamnoon Hussain’s nephew Abu Mutalib, received an extortion slip five days before the attack. “Two men on a motorcycle came to the shop and gave us a parchi to pay extortion in the amount of Rs500,000,” said Mohammad Farooq, the manager at the ice cream parlour. Earlier, there were reports that the amount of extortion was around Rs5 million. “Our owner was very worried after we received the slip and stopped coming to the shop. We also informed the police that we had been given a parchi.”
According to the manager, Abu Mutalib also got a call two days after the extortion slip was delivered from the alleged extortionists, asking about the status of the payment. “Since the time we opened, we have never been given a parchi. The business is facing a difficult time as it is - where would we get the money to pay such an amount of extortion?” said Farooq while talking to The Express Tribune.
Under attack
The shop, which has outdoor and indoor seating, was reportedly open as per routine when five to six men on three motorcycles opened fire but no casualties were reported. “They were young man who opened fire and instead of going straight, turned around and went back the way they came,” said the manager, adding that they immediately shut the shop following the attack and informed their owner.
Arif, an employee of the shop since 2007, said that usually a police mobile was stationed around Jeddah Ice cream but at the time of the attack no one came.
On Wednesday, officials from the Special Branch visited the shop followed by the Rangers. The police also turned up the next day, but said that they were not told about the firing. “After we were told about the extortion slip, we told the owner that we were looking into the matter,” said sub-inspector Kayani of the Aram Bagh police station. He said that they will try to trace the suspects through the number the call was made from, sketches based on accounts of the witnesses and other details.
He said that four policemen, in shifts of two, will be deployed outside the ice cream shop for security. No FIR was registered till the filing of this story.
The menace of extortion
Ameen Buledi and Sheraz Comrade of Lyari, believed to be the two main kingpins of the extortion mafia, have been arrested from Lahore, but it appears that the arrests have not lessened the menace of extortion in the city. “On an average, we are still receiving ten complaints of extortion every week, and this is only the 20 per cent which is willing to come forward,” Sindh Tajir Ittehad Chairperson Jamil Paracha told The Express Tribune. “We believe that the strategy of the government and law enforcers has failed. It appears that the targeted operations and raids are being conducted against political parties but the issue of extortion hasn’t been tackled.”
According to him, extortionists were still asking for money from traders over the phone and via Bhatta parchis. “The extortionists have challenged the state by attacking the shop of Mamnoon Hussain’s nephew. We will come up with a strategy to hold protests if this menace continues.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2013.
The Jeddah Ice cream shop, which opened in the city in 1986 at MA Jinnah Road, was reminded that running a business in Karachi comes with a price when at least five gunmen opened fire at the shop late Tuesday night for allegedly not paying extortion money.
The shop, which is owned by President Mamnoon Hussain’s nephew Abu Mutalib, received an extortion slip five days before the attack. “Two men on a motorcycle came to the shop and gave us a parchi to pay extortion in the amount of Rs500,000,” said Mohammad Farooq, the manager at the ice cream parlour. Earlier, there were reports that the amount of extortion was around Rs5 million. “Our owner was very worried after we received the slip and stopped coming to the shop. We also informed the police that we had been given a parchi.”
According to the manager, Abu Mutalib also got a call two days after the extortion slip was delivered from the alleged extortionists, asking about the status of the payment. “Since the time we opened, we have never been given a parchi. The business is facing a difficult time as it is - where would we get the money to pay such an amount of extortion?” said Farooq while talking to The Express Tribune.
Under attack
The shop, which has outdoor and indoor seating, was reportedly open as per routine when five to six men on three motorcycles opened fire but no casualties were reported. “They were young man who opened fire and instead of going straight, turned around and went back the way they came,” said the manager, adding that they immediately shut the shop following the attack and informed their owner.
Arif, an employee of the shop since 2007, said that usually a police mobile was stationed around Jeddah Ice cream but at the time of the attack no one came.
On Wednesday, officials from the Special Branch visited the shop followed by the Rangers. The police also turned up the next day, but said that they were not told about the firing. “After we were told about the extortion slip, we told the owner that we were looking into the matter,” said sub-inspector Kayani of the Aram Bagh police station. He said that they will try to trace the suspects through the number the call was made from, sketches based on accounts of the witnesses and other details.
He said that four policemen, in shifts of two, will be deployed outside the ice cream shop for security. No FIR was registered till the filing of this story.
The menace of extortion
Ameen Buledi and Sheraz Comrade of Lyari, believed to be the two main kingpins of the extortion mafia, have been arrested from Lahore, but it appears that the arrests have not lessened the menace of extortion in the city. “On an average, we are still receiving ten complaints of extortion every week, and this is only the 20 per cent which is willing to come forward,” Sindh Tajir Ittehad Chairperson Jamil Paracha told The Express Tribune. “We believe that the strategy of the government and law enforcers has failed. It appears that the targeted operations and raids are being conducted against political parties but the issue of extortion hasn’t been tackled.”
According to him, extortionists were still asking for money from traders over the phone and via Bhatta parchis. “The extortionists have challenged the state by attacking the shop of Mamnoon Hussain’s nephew. We will come up with a strategy to hold protests if this menace continues.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2013.