A transport businessman who was starting construction on a plot of land in the suburbs of Karachi was threatened by extortionists who demanded one million rupees, it was reported on Friday.
Complainant Sarfaraz Ali told Shah Latif police that when construction work began on his land, four men arrived on two motorcycles, brandishing pistols. They told him he had to pay them a million rupees if he wanted to continue building. They handed his guard an extortion note with a bullet before taking off.
Ali added that he thought he could identify the men.
He also told police that on October 16, while he was sleeping at home, his guard Abdul Samad informed him that around 20 men had arrived at the Malir grounds, demolished the surrounding walls and fired shots into the air.
Read: Of 118 extortion complaints, 44 turned out to be genuine (police)
The guard identified the men as Dher Muhammad, Yaseen, Ghalib Domki and Akbar, who were believed to be the same men who had come to deliver the ball.
Ali filed an FIR (No. 1541/25) for extortion, threats and mischief under sections 427, 384, 385, 337H(ii) and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Shah Latif SHO Zameer Ahmed said he had handed over the case to the Special Investigation Unit.
Last week, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry informed its members and the city’s business community of a surge in extortion threats. Several traders had received extortion receipts accompanied by bullets.
Most recently, three gang members were arrested for attempting to extort credit from JDC Foundation head Zafar Abbas.
