By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE: President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mian Abuzar Shad, has strongly condemned the increasing incidents of harassment and insecurity faced by Pakistan’s business community. He said that Pakistan can never achieve sustainable economic growth until its industrialists and traders are protected and treated fairly by the state.
The LCCI President was addressing a gathering after a troubling case came to light involving one of the Chamber’s members, Muhammad Siddique, son of Muhammad Ishaq. Siddique, an industrialist and registered LCCI member, reportedly left for Germany due to worsening business conditions in Pakistan. Before leaving, he rented out his factory to avoid closure. However, in his absence, the factory was illegally seized by a notorious criminal group based in Kasur.
According to reports, the gang forcibly occupied the premises and looted machinery worth tens of millions of rupees. When local police registered an FIR and visited the site, they discovered that the factory had been completely vandalized. Doors, windows, and essential infrastructure were torn out, leaving behind only a shell of what was once a fully operational industrial unit.
“This is not just a case of theft—it is a murder of industry,” Mian Abuzar Shad said. “How can any entrepreneur invest in such a hostile environment? If this is how a member of LCCI is treated, what message are we sending to the rest of the world?”
He emphasized that the state must treat industrialists as national assets rather than abandoned entities. “The business community is the golden bird of this country. If they are continually subjected to injustice and lawlessness, we will keep losing investors and skilled professionals to foreign lands,” he warned.
Shad urged the government to take immediate action to ensure justice for Muhammad Siddique and bring the culprits to justice. He also called for a comprehensive security mechanism for industrial zones and small-scale factories, particularly in areas vulnerable to land mafia and criminal gangs.
“The state must rise to the occasion. Providing security to businessmen is not a favor—it is a fundamental responsibility,” he concluded.
This incident has sparked outrage among the business community, which continues to demand stronger laws, faster justice, and real-time protection of their properties and investments.
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