Chairman SITE Association of industry Irfan Moton told Dawn that Rangers might be proving helpful in some specific operations against criminals but their presence had not brought any substantial decline in “street crimes” which continues to rise despite patrolling in the area. - File photo

KARACHI: Marble factories in Manghopir area have decided to close down their units on March 17 to protest against rising incidents of extortion (bhatta), kidnapping and killing for ransom, etc.

“We will close down around 300 units on Saturday as the government and law enforcement agencies are not serious in providing security to the business community and general public,” chairman All Pakistan Marble Mining and Processing and Export Industries Association Sanaullah Khan said on Wednesday, adding that law enforcement agencies were playing the role of silent spectators only.

He told Dawn that it had become a routine that unidentified individuals enter the factories and hand over extortion slips of heavy amounts. In other cases, some people also phone the industrialists seeking huge money. In case of non-compliance these elements resort to firing at the factories.

Sanaullah said that three police stations usually cover Mangophir and its surrounding areas but they failed in providing effective security to the industries. He claimed that many industrialists have stopped visiting their units for security reasons.

He said load-shedding of four to eight hours daily had further hit the industrial activities. “Exporters will miss the export target of $50 million of marble export in the current fiscal year due to deteriorating law and order and power outages, which is crippling production activities,” he added.Pakistan’s marble exports fetched $45 million in 2010-2011 and in July-February 2011-2012 export stood only $22 million.

He feels that taking over control of the city by the Rangers had provided some relief but now again the incidents of killing of traders/businessmen and other street crimes have risen.President Karachi Tajir Ittehad Atiq Mir said many traders have started changing their mobile phone numbers in view of lingering fear for their life and their families. Besides, many shop owners try to stay away from their shops while others have started keeping licence weapons for their security.

Due to change of cellphone numbers, the unidentified people involved in extortion of money are now calling traders on their PTCL (landlines), Atiq Mir said.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has already sent an SOS to the president and the prime minister that members of the business community and delegations from various markets of Karachi were daily approaching the KCCI complaining and protesting about life threats to them by the criminal elements.

Chairman SITE Association of industry Irfan Moton told Dawn that Rangers might be proving helpful in some specific operations against criminals but their presence had not brought any substantial decline in “street crimes” which continues to rise despite patrolling in the area.

The presence of Rangers was supposed to restore law and order but the situation is actually worsening.

The SITE area particularly Haroonabad, Main SITE Avenue and adjoining roads have become safe heaven for criminals.