KARACHI: Karachi police have created obstacles and started harassing a family bringing investment from abroad to Pakistan in connivance with the smuggling mafia who use their factory warehouse to clear stolen products.
The family-owned factory imports used clothes from The Netherlands and re-exports them to other countries. However, it has been revealed that certain elements are using the factory to clear smuggled betel nuts and other stolen products. In this regard, the warehouse’s owner has expressed ignorance about the goods being cleared without the knowledge of the factory’s owners.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Sindh has shifted the investigation to SSP South due to the laxity of the investigating officers. A case has been registered in SITE B police station after the court’s intervention. However, no action has been taken against the culprits nor have the smuggled items been recovered.
Amin Pervez, son of Aminuddin, had relocated his family investment from Greece to Pakistan three years ago. The family has complained about being harassed by the Karachi police and a group involved in the smuggling network. The family has started relocating their investment back abroad after facing immense hardship and threats.
Three years ago, Amin Pervez, with investment from his Dutch business partner John Hendricks had started work in Karachi after renting space for a factory and warehouse at Plot No. F-8 Site Area Karachi. After importing used cloth from the Netherlands, the factor started the process of re-exporting it to other countries.
About 50 consignments were re-exported in less than a year, after which the smuggling network in Karachi, with the connivance with police, teamed up with the warehouse owners to acquire the clearing permits for ‘Hall Pak Textile Recycling and Manufacturing’.
The goods in the warehouse were taken out on the letterhead of Haroon Products, which is involved in smuggling betel nuts, and all the items including generators, lifters imported clothes in the warehouse disappeared.
When the real owners of the imported garments tried to enter their warehouse, they were beaten. The victim contacted the SITE B police station, but the police avoided taking action despite inspecting the spot. The aggrieved party through the court filed Case No. 338 against suspects including Mustaqeem, Shakir, Haroon, Irshad Irfan and Bakhtiar in SITE B police station.
Despite the presence of all the accused in the warehouse, the investigating officer has refrained from taking action against them. The aggrieved party lodged a complaint with IG Sindh against SITE B police. However, Karachi Police was able to recover the stolen goods and no action has been taken against the accused.
