By Hina Mahgul Rind
KARACHI: The rise in attacks on businessmen and industrialists in Lasbela district of Balochistan has raised fears about the future of investment in the province, a survey by The News has revealed.
Local and multinational companies in the Hub Industrial and Trading Estate (HITE) are rethinking about their plans to expand or continue operations here after innocent lives were lost in attacks that took place in past month.
Companies like Proctor & Gamble (P&G), which had bold plans for expansion have temporarily shut their operations, say local chamber officials.
In the recent weeks attacks were carried out on P&G, Attock Cement, and the Pakistan Ship Breakers Association Chairman Azam Malik was killed.
Although HITE offers some of the best infrastructure facilities in the region, the targeted killings are now forcing many to re-consider investment plans here.
The biggest loser of this change of heart will be the people of the area who have not only found employment but also have benefited from the corporate social work of some of the larger companies operating here.
The industrial development in Balochistan could come to a halt if the trend of killing and threatening of businessmen and investors is not stopped.
The industrialists in Hub say that the over all situation of the area is very well there is no issue or any problem as far as the business and development of the industries is concern.
The local people have always been cooperative in the development of the area as the industrialization has opened avenues of opportunities for them and their lives have improved, said Ismail Suttar Senior Vice President of Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said that it has always been the safest area as far as law and order is concern and it is still safe. Suttar said that until recently there have never been such unpleasant incidents in the area.
“We cannot be specific about the security situation only in Lasbela District or Hub; law and order is the concern of the whole country and any thing can happen with any one in any part of the country,” he said.
Suttar said street crime in the area is zero percent; extortion from industrialists (Bhata Culture) unlike Karachi is not prevailing here. The recent killings and attacks on industrial units should be investigated and the government must find out the main culprits behind all this.
If the Baloch insurgents are behind the recent attacks as per government claims than it should initiate dialogue with them and should seriously resolve their issues, Suttar said.
Managing Director Lasbela Industrial Estates Development Authority Hub said that Lasbella District is currently the most attractive area for industrialization. There are more than 150 industries, 80 sick units are under revival, 26 operative units in marble city and around 40 units are under construction and 50 more factories are expected to be completed and start operations this year.
He said land is much cheaper as compared to other industrial areas of the country and power, water and sewerage system is available that has attracted many industries here.
But the recent attacks on the local and multinationals have raised security issues. The law enforcement agencies have increased the patrolling and security of the area but unfortunately they are also the targets of the insurgents so this needs to be addressed sincerely, he said.
Ship breakers are very upset on the murder of their chairman. Most disturbing was the attitude of the government, they said. The Sindh government said we should have done something for our security and the Balochistan government even didn’t bother to condole the death of the Chairman of Ship Breakers Association of Pakistan and contact the business community about these incidents.
They said, “We have been doing business in the area since long and never any such incidents or anybody from the business community was attacked but the recent attack signifies that the situation has turned very severe and government should seriously do something about this issue.”
They said that the previously LEA officials were attacked to attract attention of the authorities but it seems that the authorities are not concerned so they diverted the targets towards the businessmen just to get the attention of the government to resolve the issue of Balochistan.
The current government should rectify the mistakes of the past and should solve the Balochistan’s problems on priority basis in order to develop the province.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal Former Chief Minister of Balochistan and President of Balochistan National Party said that “we condemn any killing of precious human lives in anywhere in the country.”
Mengal said, “Once the Balochistan’s right over their resources is accepted and given; all the issues will be resolved and the people of Balochistan will themselves safeguard development projects whether gas pipelines or industries or investments.”
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=115889 |
