Karachi Police raid Sunni Tehreek chief's residence, arrest two extortionists

KARACHI: Police raided the residence of Sunni Tehreek Chief Sarwat Ejaz Qadri in Nazimabad area of Karachi and arrested extortionists, ARY News reported.

According to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Specialized Investigation Unit (SIU), Dr. Imran, the house was raided to arrest the accused involved in extortion activities.

The SSP informed that the extortionists named Mulla Shah Zeb and Jawad were arrested in the raid. The arrested accused are part of an extortion group run by Samad Khathiwari, and the accused were wanted by the police in many cases.

The SSP stated that the accused used to run an extortion network, and small and large weapons have been recovered during the arrest. The SIU police further added that bullet magazines have also been recovered.

The police clarified that they did not arrest Sarwat Ejaz Qadri.

The police further added that an extortionist named Rehan was arrested yesterday, and the action was taken based on the accused’s information.

Rehan is also involved in firing at a car showroom situated on M.A. Jinnah Road, the police said.

Earlier, law enforcement agencies have arrested four suspects involved in demanding extortion from a car showroom owner and a marble factory owner in Karachi.

According to reports, the arrested group includes the prime suspect, Junaid, who allegedly made multiple extortion calls. Officials said important evidence has been recovered from the suspects’ mobile phones, strengthening the case against them.

KARACHI officials revealed that the mobile phone of another suspect, Ejaz, contained the saved number used for extortion calls. Investigators said the suspects had earlier demanded extortion from a Karachi car showroom owner, prompting a swift response from law enforcement agencies.

In another incident, a man accused of demanding Rs100 million in extortion from a marble factory owner in the Manghopir area of Karachi was also arrested. Officials stated that the extortion call to the factory owner was made from an international number, raising concerns about possible foreign-based handlers.

Authorities further disclosed that the marble factory owner was sent a parcel containing two bullets, clearly intended as a threat. The recovery of evidence and the arrests mark a significant step in curbing extortion activities in Karachi.

Law enforcement agencies in Karachi have intensified operations to dismantle networks involved in extortion, intimidation, and cross-border coordinated criminal activity.

Earlier, a marble trader in Karachi’s Manghopir area came forward with claims that he was targeted for extortion, with criminals demanding Rs 10 crore.

The trader told police that he initially received multiple calls from unknown numbers, all pressuring him for the money. The calls reportedly came from international numbers, raising concerns about cross-border involvement.

According to the victim, the extortionists gave him five days to arrange the ransom. When the deadline passed, the criminals escalated their threats. A few days later, a parcel was sent through a courier company to the trader in Karachi, which he reported to authorities.

Upon inspection, the parcel was found to contain two 9mm bullets, according to the trader’s statement to police. The criminals reportedly identified themselves as connected to a gang-war group, warning the victim of serious consequences if their demands were not met.

Police in Karachi have registered a case and are investigating the incident, looking into the source of the international calls and the parcel. The case has raised concerns about increasing organized crime and extortion threats in Karachi, especially targeting local businessmen.

The trader expressed fear for his safety but confirmed that he reported the matter to law enforcement promptly. Authorities in Karachi are urging citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious calls or parcels.

This incident adds to a growing list of extortion attempts in Karachi, as in a similar incident, an unidentified assailant opened fire at a car showroom on New M.A. Jinnah Road, Shikarpur Colony, Karachi, on Tuesday. The attack was reportedly carried out because the owner refused to pay extortion money.

The victim, the car showroom owner, stated that he had earlier received a message from an unknown number demanding Rs. 5 million in extortion.

He further reported that the accused also threatened him with serious consequences for non-payment, which was followed by the firing incident.