KARACHI: Extortion remains a major concern for Karachi’s business community, but Sindh Police have stepped up action against those involved, Inspector General Javed Alam Odho said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) House, Odho said police had acted against extortionists named by ABAD. He said officers had also taken action against other suspects involved in similar crimes.

“I will not rest until the Mir Raza murder case is solved,” Odho said.

The police chief also promised to help solve the problems faced by builders and developers. He proposed a committee under the Karachi commissioner to address their concerns.

Odho said Karachi’s crime rate had dropped by 14%. He added that murder and violent crime across Sindh had fallen by 70%.

Police have solved 54 cases, he said. Officers have also arrested 72 suspects and detained 12 suspects after encounters. Police killed nine suspects during these operations, according to the IG.

Odho said police had also secured Red Notices for four alleged extortionists operating from abroad.

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Police vow action against extortionists

The Sindh police chief said officers would continue their efforts against criminal groups. He said the police had completed the paperwork needed to pursue suspects living outside Pakistan.

Odho said the process could take time. He also linked some delays to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

He said police would continue efforts to bring overseas suspects back to Pakistan. They would then face legal action under Pakistani law.

Odho also said Karachi’s National Highway had reported no crime incident during the past six months. He described the wider law and order situation in Sindh as satisfactory.

Builders raise security concerns

ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hasan Bakhshi said builders faced serious threats from extortionists.

He said some callers used numbers linked to Uzbekistan and other countries. According to Bakhshi, the callers threatened bomb attacks on construction projects.

Bakhshi also raised concerns about the investigation into the Mir Raza murder. He said the case had damaged public confidence in state institutions.

He urged authorities to ensure justice for Mir Raza’s parents. He also called for stronger action against land grabbers and extortion groups.

Bakhshi said land-grabbing complaints had increased around the M-9 Motorway. He said similar complaints had earlier emerged from Surjani and Malir.

He claimed that some builders faced police cases when they tried to recover illegally occupied land.

According to Bakhshi, authorities sometimes registered FIRs against people who were not even present at their properties. He also claimed that police continued raids after suspects secured bail.

He said courts had issued orders to vacate illegally occupied properties, but authorities did not always enforce those orders.

ABAD seeks stronger police support

Bakhshi named Samad Kathiawari and Jameel Chhanga while calling for action against alleged extortionists.

He said police support remained vital for protecting builders, businesses and investment projects in Karachi.

The ABAD chairman also urged authorities to use existing business committees to address security concerns. He said these forums could help resolve problems between the business community and government institutions.

Syed Moez Zaidi, convener of ABAD’s Law and Order Committee, called extortion the biggest security issue facing the association’s members.

He urged the Sindh police chief to take strict action against those threatening builders and other business owners.

Progress expected in Mir Raza case

Odho said investigators had initially developed one line of inquiry in the Mir Raza case. However, investigators later found different facts that created new challenges.

He said the police would continue working until they identified everyone involved in the murder.

Odho also said officers were working on another important case. He promised to share further details once investigators made significant progress.

The meeting was attended by DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah, Additional IG Azad Khan and SSPs from Karachi’s four districts.

Senior ABAD officials also attended the meeting, including Senior Vice Chairman Syed Afzal Hameed, Vice Chairman Tariq Aziz and Southern Region Chairman Ahmed Owais Thanvi.