Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah on Friday announced decisive action against foreign-based extortion gangs targeting Karachi’s business community, saying Interpol red notices would be sought to arrest ringleaders operating from abroad.
Speaking to the media outside the Sindh Assembly, the chief minister said the provincial government was coordinating with federal authorities to bring overseas extortionists back to Pakistan. He confirmed that formal steps were underway to request international red notices for key figures involved in organised extortion networks.
The statement follows growing concern among traders, industrialists, and property developers over a surge in extortion threats. A day earlier, Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (Abad) Chairman Mohammed Hassan Bakshi disclosed that Karachi’s business community was receiving frequent extortion slips and threatening phone calls.
CM Murad stressed that Sindh had successfully tackled extortion in the past and remained committed to dismantling these networks again. He also directed police to respond swiftly to complaints related to extortion and illegal land occupation, calling for zero tolerance against criminal intimidation.
Concerns were echoed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which urged the government to maintain strict oversight as reports of trader harassment continue to emerge across the city.
Detailing the severity of the issue, Bakshi said extortion demands had escalated beyond threats to violent attacks, with several incidents resulting in fatalities. Speaking on a private television programme, he claimed that extortion calls were originating from foreign numbers, including Iranian lines, and alleged that gangs were offering payment plans spread over several years, even accepting cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.
Bakshi questioned why international action had been delayed, alleging that a small group linked to the Lyari Gang War was behind much of the pressure faced by Karachi’s builders and developers.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials said operations against extortion groups were ongoing. SSP Special Investigation Unit Dr Imran Khan stated that police were conducting daily crackdowns, adding that an alleged extortionist was killed in a shootout earlier on Friday. He said the suspect’s mobile phone contained contact details of multiple traders.
According to the SSP, authorities have reviewed at least ten extortion-related incidents involving builders. Three cases have been formally registered, while investigations are underway in several others that have yet to be officially reported.
It later emerged that CM Murad had formally written to the federal government, seeking assistance in pursuing overseas suspects. In his letter, he urged federal authorities to approach Interpol for the issuance of red notices, signalling a coordinated national and international effort to curb extortion networks targeting Karachi’s economy.
