Dear friends/ colleagues:
On June 4, 2008, at 5:15 pm, I stopped at Plaza, in front of the Polani
Motors on the busiest road in Karachi, the MA Jinnah Road, to have my
car's electric window repaired.
Soon, I was mobbed by some seven to eight people, who insisted that I get
some door rubbers installed. I refused but they nevertheless started the
work.
Quickly, I found myself trapped, with these people doing all sorts of work
on the car and not listening to my command, directions and pleadings.
These people had me so placed that I could not run, scream and phone
anybody though I was at the busiest road of Karachi. By all means, I was
their hostage.
Then it was the crunch time. The boss handed me a bill of Rs 25,600 on a
small piece of paper and ordered me to pay. Yes! You read it correctly Rs
25,600 for work I did not order and I did not know anything about. For
installing some rubbers on the doors.
The boss ordered me to get to the nearest ATM and pay the amount. There
are several ATMs in and around Plaza but I stalled. The heavily guarded
portion of Abdullah Haroon Road was my safest bet.
I told him, albeit correctly, that my bank was located near the Metropole
Hotel and I could not withdraw the amount from One Link ATMs. (Not true).
The head honcho sat along with me and his colleague behind me and we drove
to the ABN Amro Bank near the American Consulate. I told the two to stay
seated and inserted my card in the door and entered the bank.
I alerted the bank guards, officials and rang up my editor and also tried
15, which nobody picked. Soon the police arrived and the two were escorted
to the Artillery Maidan Police Station, in front of the Governor House.
There our crime reporter handled the issue.
The agony was finally over.
I learnt that a gang was operating at Plaza and had robbed several people,
charging in one case Rs 40,000 for installing door rubbers. I have heard
of three cases, in one instance they went to the poor man's house to get
the money. I was indeed lucky.
There are in fact many more members of the gang still there. We plan to
highlight the issue through the media as the police station next door is
also apparently involved.
Meanwhile, inform your friends and colleagues to avoid the area.
Best regards
Ali Abbas Rizvi
News Editor
The News, Karachi