KARACHI: At least 40 medical practitioners of Karachi have received threatening emails from certain extortion mafias demanding hefty protection money, claimed a senior official of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Wednesday.

“Our community is under immense pressure. We are frightened because of threats against the backdrop of the killing of some of our colleagues in the recent past,” said Dr Idrees Adhi, president of the PMA Karachi chapter while addressing a press conference at the PMA House.

Dr Adhi said extortionists received the protection money through cash transfer schemes of various cell phone companies.

“It is highly disturbing to know that those facilities are being used for such crimes. The government should improve its check and balance system to stop such practices,” he added. He said some 130 doctors were among the victims of targeted killings since 2010 across the country.