A transport businessman who was starting construction of a land on the outskirts of Karachi was threatened by extortionists who demanded one million rupees from him, it emerged on Friday.
Complainant Sarfaraz Ali told Shah Latif police that when work began on his plot, four men appeared on two motorcycles brandishing guns. They told him he had to pay them one million rupees if he wanted to continue building. They handed their guard an extortion note with a bullet before leaving.
Ali added that he felt he could identify the men.
He also told the police that on October 16, while he was sleeping at home, his watchman Abdul Samad informed him that about 20 men had reached Malir’s land, demolished its border walls and fired shots in the air.
Read: Of 118 extortion complaints, 44 were genuine: police
The guard identified the men as Dher Muhammad, Yaseen, Ghalib Domki and Akbar, and it is believed that they were the same men who had come to deliver the bullet.
Ali has 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 they 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 that there was an increase in extortion threats. Several merchants had received extortion notes accompanied by bullets.
More recently, three gang members were arrested for attempting to extort JDC Foundation director Zafar Abbas.
