With police and rangers joint efforts, situation at Karachi Fish Harbour has begun normalising, as seafood exporters confirmed on Tuesday that extortionists for now stopped sending threats to them and other stakeholders of fisheries sector. Officials of Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) said the Rangers personnel are now patrolling the harbour which increased the confidence of exporters and local traders.
The wave of discontent at the harbour, which gripped the harbour since the extortionists freely used their illegal demands for extortionism, has now begun to vanish, they said. Exporters are now happy to continue their businesses without any fears of violence or threats by the outlaws, they said.
There are also rumours that one of the wanted notorious gang-war activists has been arrested from Muhammadi Colony, fisheries sources said, adding that the arrest for until now could not be confirmed. The fisheries stakeholders in the last meeting with police high-ups pointed at a number of gang-war outlaws, who run their extortionism activities at harbour, for arrest to solve the problems.
The harbour has worst been hit by the extortionists as situation continued to deteriorate for the last several years. The government paid no attention to the lawlessness at the country’s key strategic facility, which resulted in the poor law and order. “Traders, fishermen, boat owners, exporters, auctioneers and workers – all now feel safe and do their jobs without any problems,” sources said, adding that the extortionists are now hiding from police.
Earlier, talking to Business Recorder, Chairman Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association – Iftikhar Zaidi said, “situation has improved since the police began action against the outlaws”. Sources said if the exporters went for strike against the extortionism, the fish harbour would turn into a deep crisis for the lack of work for labourers, fishermen, boat owners and all ancillary businesses.
Officials said the anti-extortion committee, which includes: DSP Waqas Qureshi, Secretary AKTI, Sharjeel Goplani, Chairman Fisheries Exporters Association, Iftikhar Zaidi and Director Admin Finance of KFHA, is going to hold a meeting next week to review the harbour law and order situation.
