Speaking on the occasion, Businessmen Group Chairman Siraj Kassam Teli said that attempts were being made to disrupt Karachi operation. However, he reiterated that the business and industrial community would never allow this to happen and would always support Rangers to restore complete peace in the city.
Vice Chairmen BMG and former Presidents KCCI Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala and Haroon Farooki, President KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir, Senior Vice President KCCI Zia Ahmed Khan, Vice President KCCI Muhammad Naeem Sharif, KCCI Managing Committee members, and over 175 members representing different markets and industrial zones attended the in camera meeting.
The DG Rangers accepted the demand of Teli to form a Coordination Committee with whom the Rangers' officials could share evidences and discuss suspicious activities of any businessman or industrialist prior to taking action. The DG Rangers further assured that no action would be taken against any businessman or industrialist who had somehow been the victim of extortion, as such individuals were not being considered as 'facilitators'. "Not a single member of the business community will be taken into custody on the basis of suspicion only. As of today, I don't have anything serious against any businessman, any industrialist or any trader," he added.
Akbar said that the element of fear had been reducing and it would reduce further in the days to come. "Our operation is not against any political entity but only against criminals, which will continue without any discrimination. We will never allow anyone to hold strikes, shut petrol pumps or ablaze vehicles," the DG Rangers added.
In response to concerns expressed over rising street crimes, failure of police officers to control the situation and the business community's queries whether Rangers is mandated to control street crimes or not, the DG Rangers said that Rangers would now conduct operations to effectively deal with rising street crimes in Karachi. Referring to the concerns expressed by Teli with regards to politicising of police, the DG Rangers said that he was also worried about the issue and opined that the reformation of police must also happen simultaneously with the ongoing Karachi operation in order to make police department responsible enough to play a lead role in maintaining peace across the city. He also offered the Rangers' assistance in the capacity building, recruitment and training of police officers so that they could efficiently maintain peace on a long-term and sustainable basis.
In reply to KCCI's request, the DG Rangers agreed to reactivate Rangers Cell at KCCI premises where Rangers' officials will be available to listen to and resolve issues being faced by the KCCI members. Teli categorically stated that under a clear and very strict policy, the Businessmen Group or Karachi Chamber has no political affiliation, as a group or as an institution but individually some of our members may have. "As a group and as an institution, we never support them and we are not affiliated with any political party," he added.
Terming KWSB as a 'mafia', Teli said that the water supply of 550MGD was deceptively being estimated by KWSB to hide its own theft. "Whenever KWSB fears they might get caught for their wrongdoings, the Water Board accuses industrialists of theft and shortages, which is not factual at all because excessive water is being provided to the tanker mafia in order to gain financial benefits," he added.
Vice Chairman, BMG, and former President KCCI, Zubair Motiwala, while reviewing the progress of Karachi operation, stated that that overall law and order situation had been improving which could be gauged from descending incidents of targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom, demand for extortion, vehicles and bikes thefts etc.-PR