Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah Promises Strict Action Against Land Grabbing and Extortion in Karachi

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah met with a delegation from the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) at the Chief Minister House in Karachi, emphasizing a strict crackdown on land grabbing and extortion in the city. The ABAD delegation was led by Hassan Bakhshi and included Afzal Hameed and Hanif Gohar, while the meeting also saw participation from Sindh’s home minister, the mayor of Karachi, the chief secretary, the inspector general of police, and other senior officials.

During the meeting, CM Shah acknowledged concerns raised by ABAD members in a recent press conference, noting that complaints related to extortion had been directly brought to his attention. He stressed that land grabbing would not be tolerated under any circumstances and confirmed that clear instructions had been issued to local authorities to enforce zero tolerance against encroachments.

ABAD representatives highlighted that previous operations against land grabbers had been successful, with no new illegal occupations reported in recent months. Both sides discussed a joint strategy aimed at eliminating land grabbing throughout Karachi. The delegation also provided the chief minister with extortion-related evidence, including slips and phone numbers used by criminals, and briefed him on challenges facing the construction and development sector.

The chief minister directed that any extortion threats be formally reported to the Sindh home minister for immediate intervention and requested that names be provided if any killings were linked to extortion cases. ABAD reported ten extortion incidents over the past year, and the police presented a detailed progress report on actions taken, underscoring the government’s commitment to safeguarding the construction sector and maintaining law and order.