Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday staged walkout from the National Assembly in protest against the on-going unabated activities of extortionists in Karachi and threatened to boycott the upcoming joint session of the Parliament if the government did not take action against the extortionists.
MQM's Deputy Parliamentary Leader Haider Abbas Rizvi while speaking on a point of order in National Assembly said that extortion was being demanded by calling the people through international rooming numbers. He said that Rangers and police had failed in arresting the culprits involved in these activities. He said that not a single industrial area of the metropolis was safe and free from the extortion mafia.
"If the government did not take action to control extortion activities in the financial hub of the country, MQM will boycott the forthcoming joint sitting of the parliament to be addressed by president Asif Ali Zardari," he warned. The MQM leader said that Karachi was financial hub and revenue engine of the country and if there was no peace, it would have serious impacts on the economy.
Rizvi said that they would not let Karachi become hostage to extortionists. He asked the government to take immediate notice of the situation in Karachi, saying that the traders have become victims of rising incidents of extortion. Later, the MQM lawmaker staged walkout from the House in protest against the extortion mafia.