Karachi Police tighten crackdown on extortion, warn against employing illegal Afghan migrants

KARACHI: Karachi Police have announced a zero-tolerance policy against extortion while urging businesses not to employ or shelter undocumented Afghan nationals, describing both security and illegal immigration as key concerns affecting the city’s law and order.

Addressing a meeting at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday, Additional Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Karachi Azad Khan said protecting Karachi’s commercial and industrial sectors was essential to safeguarding Pakistan’s economy.

Highlighting progress in the security situation, he said terrorism-related incidents across Sindh had dropped from 37 during the corresponding period last year to eight this year, with no major terrorist attack reported. He attributed the improvement to intelligence-based operations and enhanced coordination among law enforcement agencies.

On street crime, the AIGP acknowledged that it remained a major challenge but claimed overall incidents had declined by around 15 percent during the first half of the year. He said robbery-cum-murder cases had fallen by nearly 30 percent, injuries during robberies by 40 percent, vehicle snatching by around 30 percent, and motorcycle and vehicle theft by about 20 percent.

Declaring extortion a top operational priority, Azad Khan said nine alleged extortionists had been killed in police encounters, around 15 injured and 61 arrested during the first six months of the year.

Referring to undocumented foreign nationals, particularly Afghan migrants, the AIGP said the federal government’s policy was being implemented strictly and appealed to traders and citizens to refrain from providing employment or accommodation to illegal immigrants.

KCCI President Rehan Hanif and business leaders welcomed the improvement in law and order but expressed concern over persistent street crime, encroachments and traffic congestion in major commercial markets. They also called for the introduction of an online FIR registration system and urged authorities to accelerate the Safe City Project to strengthen surveillance and improve public safety across Karachi.