No businessman to be nabbed on suspicion only: Rangers DG

Terror financing

 Major Gen Bilal Akbar says businessmen who were being extorted will not be considered terrorism facilitators

Karachi

The Sindh Rangers chief has assured Karachi’s business community that its members would not be arrested simply over suspicion of financing terrorism given the dynamics of extortion cases in the city.

Major Gen Bilal Akbar also accepted the business community’s demand that a coordination committee be formed with which the paramilitary force could share evidence and discuss suspicious activities of a businessman or industrialist prior to taking action, according to  statement issued by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Monday.

The Rangers DG visited the KCCI last week to discuss the ongoing operation and for business community’s input on the issue.

On the occasion, Siraj Kassam Teli, former KCCI president and chairman of the Businessmen Group, expressed concerns over the terrorism financing and other methods of facilitation.

He said the business community gave away money in donations, zakat and political funding and in case any political or religious party’s office was raided and their receipts were found, businessmen should not be considered their facilitators.  Teli proposed forming a coordination committee to sort out the issue.

He pointed out that the law and order situation in the city was deteriorating for years and extortion cases were on the rise.

He added that entire the business and industrial community was participating in it either under duress or willingly, through zakat, donations or funding political parties.

Akbar assured Teli that no action will be taken against any businessman or industrialist who was being extorted and they would not be considered facilitators.

 

Logical conclusion

The Rangers DG also said the crackdown against criminals in Karachi would continue until its logical conclusion.

“There are no such hurdles that can’t be resolved with both tiers of the Sindh and federal governments and in this issue, the role of Rangers is very minor,” he added.

“Despite the ongoing push and pulls, I have been clearly instructed by the heads of armed forces and the federal government to go on with Karachi operation.”

Akbar said the atmosphere of fear in Karachi was diminishing and would reduce further in the days to come.

“Our operation is not against any political entity but only against criminals which will continue without any discrimination. We will not allow anyone to call strikes, shut down filling stations or torch vehicles.”

On the occasion, Akbar agreed to reactivate the Rangers Cell at the KCCI premises where officials would be available to listen to and resolve the issues being faced by KCCI members.

The Rangers DG said the situation in Karachi had now changed compared with what it was around two years ago.

Younus Bashir, the KCCI president, said that the residents of Karachi felt much safer now and many businessmen, who had left Karachi with their families over security concerns, were returning to the city.