By Mian Abuzar Shad,
LCCI President
The recent criminal occupation of an LCCI member’s factory in Kasur has shaken the business community to its core—not merely because it involved theft and destruction of property, but because it exposed a brutal truth: that our institutions are failing to protect those who fuel Pakistan’s economy.
Muhammad Siddique, a registered LCCI member and respected industrialist, did what many in the private sector are being forced to consider—he left the country due to unbearable business conditions, hoping that renting out his factory would at least keep it alive. What followed was a nightmare. A local gang took over his factory in his absence, stripped it down to bare walls, and looted machinery worth tens of millions. What is perhaps more shocking than the theft itself is the response—or lack thereof—by law enforcement.
When the factory was vandalized, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR), but it was only a reaction, not a resolution. No immediate arrests were made. No effort was taken to secure the property. The criminals acted with impunity. This, I must say with pain, is not an isolated incident—it’s a reflection of the systemic negligence, and at times complicity, of law enforcement agencies in such crimes.
Read also: LCCI and deputy commissioner Lahore join forces to address key business issues
Why do we treat industrialists like disposable tools once they’ve invested in our cities, employed our people, and paid their dues? The truth is harsh but undeniable: when the state turns a blind eye to the safety of businessmen, it sabotages its own economic backbone.
This incident is not just an isolated act of hooliganism. It represents a pattern—one that tells potential investors, local or foreign, that Pakistan is not a safe place to do business. That your property, your investment, your years of hard work can be dismantled overnight by thugs, and the police will stand by, indifferent or worse, involved.
I, on behalf of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, raise my voice not just for Muhammad Siddique but for every silent industrialist who fears becoming the next victim. It is unacceptable that despite contributing billions in taxes and generating employment for millions, businessmen are left to fend for themselves against criminal mafias.
The police, instead of acting as protectors, have too often become facilitators. In this case, multiple complaints had reportedly been lodged, yet no preventative action was taken. Is it not the duty of the police to guard registered industrial units? How is it that a gang could operate with such brazenness without local police support or negligence?
We are not demanding special treatment—we are demanding constitutional protection. A businessman’s factory should be treated with the same sanctity as a citizen’s home. When criminals occupy a factory, they are not just stealing machinery—they are dismantling jobs, sabotaging production, and undermining the trust that fuels our economy.
The broader question is this: how many more industries have to fall before we realize the consequences? Every factory that shuts down means fewer exports, fewer jobs, and more poverty. No government can stabilize an economy if it allows industrial zones to become no-go areas controlled by land mafias and criminal syndicates.
We demand immediate reforms in the law enforcement system, particularly with regard to business security. There must be dedicated industrial police units, equipped with modern tools, trained in business crime prevention, and held strictly accountable.
Furthermore, cases like Siddique’s must be tried in fast-track courts. Justice delayed is not only justice denied—it is economic devastation. It is time to introduce industrial protection laws with real teeth, where seizure of business property through illegal means is treated as a serious criminal offense.
I call upon the Prime Minister, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, and all provincial leaderships to recognize this crisis before it spirals further. We need a coordinated national plan to safeguard our entrepreneurs and restore investor confidence.
Let this be the last time that an industrialist must flee the country in fear, only to have his life’s work looted by thugs under the nose of law enforcement. We must remember: when industry falls silent, a nation does not just lose investment—it loses hope.
