ISLAMABAD, April 2: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI) and leading businessmen have condemned the harassment of the business community particularly audio and video shop owners by religious extremists.

The office bearers of Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) have also demanded of the government to take strict action against these extremists and provide security to the small businessmen.

“This is unjust and cannot be tolerated at any cost,” Zubair Ahmed Malik, former Vice President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries, said talking to mediamen.

“We condemn it and demand of the government to take action against these extremists,” said Mr Malik, who is also a member of Managing Committee of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Replying to a question, FPCCI vice-president Raja Ahsan Farid also termed this act as “highly deplorable” demanding quick action to protect the interests of the traders.

It was noted that some days back the religious extremists stormed some markets of the federal capital and harassed the small businessmen particularly those running the audio and video cassette shops.

These extremists threatened strict action against these businessmen if they continue running their business.

“We demand of the law enforcing authorities to stop this trend and take action against the responsible,” he said.

“They are nobody to dictate us to which business we need to run and to which business we should not run,” they added.

Former president of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Munawar Mughal also condemned harassment of businesmen by religious extremists as well as strikes and agitations.—APP

Our reporter adds: People’s Rights Movement (PRM) has slammed the unbridled hypocrisy of the government in the matter of Jamia Hafsa Madressah students and said the episode unequivocally proves that the ‘Mullah-Military Alliance’ is alive and well.

Asha Amirali of the PRM said the present situation had arisen because of years of collaboration between the military and extremist forces and that, in spite of all propaganda and claims to the contrary, significant segments within the state continue to sponsor these extremist forces.

She said it was absolutely crucial to recognise the dialectical relationship between the ‘secular’ state elite and the ‘traditionalist’ religious forces lest the phenomenon be allowed to further spiral out of control.

She said a large majority of the liberal intelligentsia supported Gen Musharraf when he came to power under the pretext that he was opposed to extremist forces.

Ms Amirali said the recent episode involving Jamia Hafsa students was yet another reflection of the close alliance of the forces of extremism with fragments of the state, and was a desperate attempt of both the extremist forces and the state to divert attention from major contradictions that have developed within ruling circles.