December 13, 2025
By Shoukat Korai
KARACHI
Traders in Karachi are once again receiving threatening extortion notices, marking a worrying resurgence of a crime that had significantly declined following law enforcement operations.
After 2013, Rangers and police launched a joint targeted operation in the city, which led to a marked decrease in extortion, target killings, kidnappings, and other crimes. The Sindh government had granted special powers to Rangers for the operation, powers that remain in effect to this day.
Traders voice their concerns
Sharjeel Goplani, a leader of the Karachi Traders Alliance, acknowledges that while the operation restored peace to the city, extortion collection never completely stopped.
“Extortion never really ended, though there was a significant reduction during the operation,” Goplani explained.
According to him, the extortion racket in Karachi began in the 1990s, when even religious minorities in the city received notices demanding extortion money and zakat.
“Those who extorted money from traders had the patronage of political parties. The Lyari gang war became so powerful that people nominated by them were elected to the Sindh Assembly and National Assembly. How can there be peace in such a situation?” Goplani questioned.
Modern technology in criminal hands
The trader leader revealed that extortionists have modernized their methods. Traders in Karachi now receive threats through WhatsApp calls and messages from both within Pakistan and abroad.
“Along with extortion notices, they hand over bullets to traders. All of this reaches the markets, but what are the Safe City project, cameras, and police doing? Why aren’t those who reach the markets identified?” Goplani asked.
He further stated that ringleaders of extortion gangs such as Wasiullah Lakho, Ahmed Magsi, and Taju are abroad.
“Why aren’t they arrested through Interpol? Why are our authorities silent? Until the ringleaders of extortion gangs are arrested, this cycle of extortion won’t appear to end,” he said.
Police actively combating extortion: IGP
Inspector General of Police Sindh, Ghulam Nabi Memon, defended the police’s performance in a conversation with Voicepk, stating that law enforcement agencies are actively combating extortion.
“It’s absolutely not true that police are silent. Those responsible for incidents reported in the last two weeks have been arrested and sent to jail,” he said.
The IGP appealed to traders to file complaints, saying: “It becomes difficult for police when traders don’t report complaints to us. Then when an incident occurs, police find out about it.”
According to him, police received 140 extortion complaints this year, but when investigated, half of these cases were not extortion-related but rather money lending disputes.
“We had created a special CIA cell specifically for extortion complaints, which had nearly eliminated such complaints. This is a crime that is the first priority for police,” IGP Memon stated.
‘Need to change thana culture’
Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly, Ali Khurshidi, commented on the law and order situation, noting that after the 18th Amendment, law and order has become purely a provincial matter. “Restoration of law and order won’t happen through traditional methods. There’s a need to change the thana culture. Police should not be just for the elite but for all citizens. Reforms must be implemented; otherwise, these problems won’t be solved,” Ali Khurshidi said.
He also suggested that the government introduce a local policing system.
Traders’ concerns would be addressed
Provincial Minister Ismail Rahu and Sindh Assembly member Nisar Khoro expressed the government’s commitment, stating that the People’s Party government wants citizens to live peacefully. “We have established peace in Karachi. If traders still have complaints, they will certainly be addressed. This is included in the government’s priorities,” they said.