KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday assured representatives of the Association of Builders and Developers (Abad) that the provincial government would take decisive action against individuals involved in extortion and land grabbing, including those allegedly operating from abroad.
The assurance came a day after Abad raised concerns over what it described as a rise in extortion demands targeting builders and developers in Karachi. During a meeting held at the CM House, Mr Shah said the provincial government, with the support of the federal authorities, would move against those orchestrating extortion calls from outside the country.
“We have decided, with the support of the federal government, to proceed against those who sit abroad and make extortion calls,” the chief minister told the delegation. He said concrete steps would be taken to identify and bring such individuals to justice, adding that similar criminal networks had been dismantled in the past.
The Abad delegation, led by Hasan Bakshi, presented copies of extortion slips, commonly known as parchis, along with phone numbers allegedly used by extortionists to demand protection money from abroad. According to a press statement issued from the CM House, it was decided that police would take strict action on each complaint lodged by Abad.
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Mr Shah said he would personally raise the matter with the federal government to facilitate action against suspects based outside Pakistan. “We had wiped out extortionists from this city before, and we will once again ensure they are brought to account,” he said. He also remarked that while he had taken note of Abad’s press conference, the issue could have been brought directly to him rather than being highlighted through the media.
“I will also talk to the federal government so that those extortionists sitting abroad can be arrested,” the Sindh chief minister said.https://t.co/BAiRymG847
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 19, 2025
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Home Secretary Iqbal Memon, Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi and Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon. Abad representatives Afzal Hameed, Hanif Gohar and other office-bearers were also present.
Briefing the meeting, the IGP said that on the basis of builders’ complaints, three individuals linked to an extortionist operating from abroad had already been arrested. The chief minister directed the police to pursue such cases vigorously and ensure sustained action.
Mr Shah also reiterated the government’s stance against land grabbing, stating that encroachments would not be tolerated anywhere in Sindh. “Under no circumstances can encroachment on land be permitted,” he said.
In response, Abad representatives expressed their willingness to work jointly with the government to address the issue of encroachments. A consensus was reached to cooperate in identifying and removing any remaining illegal occupations, with both sides agreeing to move forward through coordinated efforts.
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