Police warn of extortion surge linked to gangs abroad

KARACHI: Karachi police chief Additional IG Azad Khan said on Monday that extortion incidents had risen sharply over the past two weeks, blaming the increase on criminal groups operating from outside Pakistan and saying red warrants had been issued for five main suspects.

Speaking at the SITE Association of Industry, Khan said the warrants had already forced the nominated gangsters to scale down their activities, while law enforcement agencies were pursuing further measures against them. He added that police had recently carried out a targeted crackdown on the Samad Kathiawari group and shared phone numbers and other details of suspects based abroad with relevant international authorities.

Khan told industrialists that street crime remained a serious challenge, but said overall crime in Karachi had fallen by 15% in the past six months. He also said the detection rate for major crimes had reached 80%, crediting the use of surveillance cameras, and cited the Dr Akash murder case as an example of technology-assisted investigation.

Turning to civic issues in industrial areas, the additional IG said encroachments were hurting business activity and creating a poor impression for foreign visitors. He said the commissioner and the mayor of Karachi had finalised a joint anti-encroachment plan, with police assigned the enforcement role, adding that implementation would begin soon. “Encroachments are primarily an administrative issue, but the role of enforcement lies with the police,” he said.

Khan said Karachi’s security was closely linked to the country’s wider stability and argued that better law and order was necessary for industrial expansion and employment generation. He also said the country still faced the threat of terrorism, but added that law enforcement institutions remained fully alert. “Threats still exist, but all institutions are fully mobilised,” he said.

He said the police department would not be able to make any procurement this year, including the purchase of new vehicles, because there was no development budget. Despite the financial constraints, he said, police would continue efforts to maintain order and tackle crime across the city.