By Syed Wahaj Ahmed
Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) President Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh has announced that thanks to Director General Pakistan Rangers Sindh Major General Azhar Waqas, ‘Rangers Monitoring & Complaint Cell’ has been activated at the chamber’s premises where two Rangers officials will be deployed from 9:00AM to 5:00PM everyday to facilitate members of the business community in dealing with law-and-order issues.
Exchanging views with Alliance of Arambagh Markets Association Chairman Asif Gulfam, KCCI President said that reactivation of Rangers Cell became possible due to rigorous efforts made by KCCI’s leadership which promptly responded to deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi by holding detailed discussions with DG Rangers, Additional Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other officials of Law Enforcement Agencies (LAEs) aimed to ensure fool-proof safe and secure environment in every nook and corner of Karachi.
“Rangers Cell along with already-operational Police Chamber Liaison Committee (PCLC) at KCCI would certainly provide some relief to a large number of perturbed businessmen and industrialists who have once again started receiving extortion chits( slips),” he said.
He advised businessmen, shopkeepers, industrialists and other complainants to immediately approach Rangers Cell for assistance if they were being threatened, besides assuring that the identity of complainant will strictly be kept classified.
He said the overall situation for doing business was not good at all nowadays as the business community faces a lot of issues pertaining to taxation, infrastructure, law and order and exorbitantly high energy tariffs which were all being dynamically taken up by KCCI under the supervision of BMG Chairman Zubair Motiwala who always struggles very hard at all available platform for creating an enabling business environment.
“During these difficult times, the Karachi chamber stands shoulder-to-shoulder with all businessmen, shopkeepers and industrialists in distress and we are trying our best to bring activities of Bhatta Mafia (extortionists) to a halt in addition to working seriously towards getting all other issues resolved by regularly taking them up with relevant institutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Alliance of Arambagh Markets Association Chairman Asif Gulfam said that the shopkeepers were already questing hard for survival due to ongoing economic crises but now the miseries have intensified further as street crimes have risen sharply and the elements of Bhatta mafia have also resurfaced again before the general elections which were really worrisome.
“To ensure safe and secure environment, Police and Rangers troops have to be deployed at all the commercial markets of Karachi so that the businessmen, traders and shopkeepers could carry on their businesses without any fear of being threatened or attacked.”
He also sought KCCI’s assistance in dealing with several civic issues particularly the installation of streets lights at Urdu Bazaar, Arambagh and other nearby markets where criminals carry out all their looting and easily flee by taking advantage of the dark.
Chairman Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon said that the Karachi chamber was the true representative of business community, particularly the small traders and shopkeepers who are also provided the opportunity to sit at the helm of KCCI’s affairs.
