Muhammad Saleem

The business community of Faisalabad has demanded security measures for safe transportation of cash to and from banks and to curb break-ins at their inventories. Talking to WealthPK, Muhammad Waheed, a powerloom factory owner, said the break-ins at factory inventories had become frequent. He said entrepreneurs taking cash to and from banks were also vulnerable to being robbed at gunpoint. "Special security measures should be taken for security of businessmen." He said a couple of years ago, a gang of criminals had looted a number of vehicles transporting yarn, incurring losses amounting to millions of rupees on the factory owners. He said the police had formed special units to protect vehicles transporting yarn. He claimed that street crimes were on the rise in the district, creating a sense of insecurity among the people, particularly the business community.

During a meeting with the recently-posted Faisalabad city police officer Dr Khurram Tariq, the president of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, raised concerns over the business community's security issues. He said without ensuring a peaceful environment in the district, businessmen could not perform efficiently. He said the CPO assured that special security measures would be ensured for the entrepreneurs, especially when they transport cash to and from banks. "The bad law and order situation is hitting us badly," Muhammad Aslam, a paper factory owner, told WealthPK. He said criminals were not sparing even the poor citizens. He said the businessmen were deeply concerned about the safety of their properties. "Scores of armed robberies have taken place even in the city areas," he said, adding that factory workers also feared being looted at gunpoint. He said businessmen arranged their own security while shifting cash from factory to bank and vice versa after receiving "cold shoulder" from the police.

"Our guards are not trained enough to thwart armed robberies," he said. "In the past, vans carrying cash have been looted, creating a sense of insecurity among the people. Amid a rise in street crime, the police need to take extra measures to protect the lives and properties of locals." Aslam said a sense of security in the business community was crucial to boost business activities and attract investors.   Due to the critical law and order situation, Waheed, the powerloom factory owner, said when they asked the police for security to transport cash to banks and vice versa, the officials refused, citing a shortage of personnel. A police officer requesting anonymity said they were trying to provide security to all the citizens of Faisalabad. He said the millers should ensure salary payments to workers through bank accounts instead of paying them by hand.

Credit: INP-WealthPk