BMG Leadership, KCCI condemn assassination of TV channel’s employees

 

KARACHI: The leadership of Businessmen Group along with the office bearers of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have strongly condemned the assassination of three employees of a private TV channel who were targeted by terrorists near Board Office in Nazimabad locality on Friday.

In a statement issued, Chairman of Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli, Vice Chairmen BMG, Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala, Anjum Nisar and Haroon Farooki, President KCCI, Abdullah Zaki, Senior Vice President KCCI, Muffasar A. Malik and Vice President KCCI, Muhammad Idrees, while terming this incident as a ‘cowardly act’, said that such incidents could not dampen the spirit of independent media and freedom of expression in the country.

They urged the Law Enforcing Agencies (LEAs) that culprits involved in this heinous crime must be taken to task. BMG leadership and KCCI Office Bearers, while expressing deep grief and sympathies with family members of the deceased employees of the media group, advised Sindh government to announce compensation for the families of the deceased as it is the prime responsibility of the government to maintain peace so any failure or negligence in providing security must be compensated by the government.

They also expressed deep concerns over the prevailing law and order situation of Karachi city where almost a dozen people including police and rangers officers were being targeted every day. This abrupt rise in incidents of target killings and sharp increase in the activities of Bhatta mafia have triggered anxiety amongst businessmen and industrialists who are finding it very difficult to continue their businesses in such terrible and extremely insecure circumstances, they added.

Commenting on various reports regarding apprehensions expressed by Pakistan Rangers Sindh over Karachi operation which may come to an end without attaining the prime objective of restoring peace and the likely transfers of various police officers, Chairman of Businessmen Group and Former President KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli warned that any halt to the ongoing Karachi operation will once again ruin the overall law and order situation of the city. He said that the lawlessness in the city will get out of control and may reach to a point of no return. This operation must not be stopped and should continue in all circumstances even if it takes 2 to 3 years to completely cleanse the city from criminals.