ISLAMABAD (January 27 2004): The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has taken up the issue of armed dacoity at Ranipur Sugar Mills in Sindh, with the federal government and demanded action against the culprits.

In a letter to federal minister for Industries and Production Liaquat Ali Jatoi and Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, PSMA secretary general K.A. Qazalbash said that the Association has taken the incident of dacoity at Ranipur Sugar Mills, one of its member units, as a matter of deep concern which, according to him, tantamount to direct attack on the government's claims of providing safe and sound environment to the industrialists to facilitate them to carry out their business activities in the country without any fear.

Qazalbash added that the matter, being one of the serious nature, needed quick action from the administration but it never happened. He maintained that the lethargic attitude of the administration has created bad feelings among the industrialists.

The PSMA secretary general demanded of the federal government immediate action to nab the culprits involved in the act of dacoity to recover the looted money as well as restore the working environment of the industry.

The management of the Ranipur Sugar Mills had informed the PSMA Sindh zone that a gang of 12 armed dacoits made their entry into the mills at midnight some three weeks back.

The dacoits resorted to indiscriminate firing after entering into the mills to terrify the security personnel which was followed by looting of 0.7 million rupees from the cash room.

The PSMA Sindh zone forwarded the matter to the PSMA head office in Islamabad to take it up with the federal government for immediate action against the culprits.

Courtesy Business Recorder