The Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) has issued a one-month ultimatum to the government, warning that construction activities across Karachi will be shut down from January 15, 2026, if rising incidents of extortion and kidnapping for ransom are not brought under control.
The warning was announced at a press conference attended by ABAD Chairman Hasan Bakhshi, Patron-in-Chief Mohsin Sheikhani, Senior Vice Chairman Afzal Hameed, Karachi Chamber of Commerce representative Hafeez Aziz, and other stakeholders.
Addressing the media, Mohsin Sheikhani said the decision had been taken to shut down businesses in Karachi as police appeared helpless against criminals involved in extortion and kidnapping for ransom. He said the situation would not improve unless red warrants were issued against identified criminals.
ABAD Chairman Hasan Bakhshi said extortion had reached alarming levels. He revealed that 10 ABAD members had received extortion calls from Dubai and Iran demanding Rs. 50 million, and when the money was not paid, employees were shot and injured.
He named Ahmed Ali Magsi, Jameel Chhanga, Samad Katiyhawari, and Aziz Lakho, alleging that 15 to 20 ABAD members were paying them monthly extortion.
He said extortionists were openly providing bank account numbers for traceable money transfers, yet no action was taken. He added that Karachi’s traders and builders had been left defenceless and questioned the failure of law-enforcement agencies and the Interior Ministry.
Bakhshi warned that growing insecurity had forced businesses to relocate from Karachi and had reduced the city’s contribution to national tax revenue from 65% to 54%. He said applications regarding extortion had already been submitted to Bilawal Bhutto and the Sindh Chief Minister, and that no one could now claim ignorance.
He warned that if the situation did not improve within a month, ABAD would move towards protest sit-ins.
Senior Vice Chairman Afzal Hameed described the situation as a conspiracy to sabotage the economy and warned that if Karachi’s real estate industry collapsed, national remittances would also decline.
Karachi Chamber of Commerce representative Hafeez Aziz said traders in Jodia Bazaar were being forced to pay extortion, with some paying lakhs and others Rs. 50,000 per month. He said that the lives of traders were not safe and stressed that security was a fundamental right, not a favour.
Stay Connected with ProPakistani
Get the latest news and stories wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
If the news is true it means the administration who is responsible to protect life honor and property of each citizen under their oath has been failed badly or have sympathy for these criminals.
Responsible in administration should be made accountable no matter which department they belongs to including intelligence agencies and communication department authorities.
May Allah have mercy.
AMEEN