SIALKOT, June 2: The protection money demanded by two gangs of proclaimed offenders from the Daska-based industrialists, traders and politicians through telephone calls is continuing.

The Daska police are still unable to take any effective measures to curb the menace of harassment and panic created among the local business community by POs.

On Thursday night, gangsters rang surgical industrialist Saeed Ahmad Mughal and demanded Rs1 million from him, and in case of refusal, threatened him with dire consequence.

Sources said the Yasir alias Yasiru gang and the Iftikhar alias Bichhu gang were involved in this nasty business.

As of now, these lawbreakers have demanded protection money from Daska jewellers association senior vice-president Mian Saeed Ahmad, surgical industrialist Saeed Ahmad Mughal, PML Daska president Bashir Ahmad Naz, several shopkeepers and well-off people in Daska.

About a month back, members of both the criminal gangs had attacked the residence of Mian Saeed Ahmad with hand grenades and opened fire as well for not meeting their demand.

Citizens inform journalists that gangsters have so far demanded protection money from more than a dozen people in Daska within a month.

Expressing grave concern over the prevailing situation, the business community alleged that the Daska police failed miserably in providing security of life and property to them, leaving the people at the mercy of criminals.

Sialkot DPO Dr Tariq Khokhar told journalists that special raiding teams had been constituted for the early arrest of the criminals.