Huge loss: Madina Medicine Market looted during Muharram holidays

Shopkeepers, traders hold protest, demanding police action against the culprits

KARACHI:

Traders and shopkeepers of the city's Madina Medicine Market at Denso Hall staged a protest on Monday against the burglary at their shops in Saddar.

A large number of traders and shopkeepers gathered at Denso Hall and staged a protest after shutting their shops down. They started their demonstration after they became aware of looting incidents at their shops when they came back to their businesses on Monday after the Muharram public holidays.

Cash and goods worth millions of rupees were taken from nearly one dozen shops, which were looted by unidentified persons. Following the protest, an extra contingent of law enforcers reached the site to inquire about the incident. Police officials and traders believed that the incident occurred on the night between Sunday and Monday. The unidentified persons broke the shops' locks and looted cash, medicines and other valuables.



The protesters also blocked the road, causing a massive traffic jam on the city's main artery. The protesters also shouted slogans against the incident and demanded the immediate recovery of their looted cash and valuables as well as the arrest of the culprits behind the incident. They said that they had come back to their business after at least three days as the police had sealed the entire route for the Muharram processions.

"There are about two dozen shops in Madina market, of which nearly 13 shops were looted," said a market association official, Atif Billoo. "The cash and goods looted were worth millions of rupees," he claimed.

Police officials said that the incident occurred on the night between Sunday and Monday since the watchman of the market told the police that he did not find anything amiss when he visited the market on Sunday around midnight. The police have also detained a security guard for questioning.

Police officials said that they will also record the statements of the traders and shopkeepers to ascertain the actual loss, adding that the police was also trying to get footage from closed-circuit cameras installed in nearby shops and markets. The protesters ended their protest after the police assured them of their full cooperation. No case has been registered.

MQM demands protection

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has demanded protection and security for the shopkeepers of the market following the robbery incident. At a press conference at the market on Monday, MPA Khawaja Izharul Hassan said that the shopkeepers were feeling terrified in the wake of the incident.

"We demand that a police check post be established near the market and security be provided to them," he said.

The MQM leader said that despite several hours having passed, only an FIR had been registered. "No action has been taken as yet. No one has been arrested nor has any police officer been suspended for failing to do their duty," he lamented.

Hassan called for the Karachi operation to be intensified against criminals and said that the police should play their role in arresting those who are responsible for such incidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2015.