He directed Interior Minister Rehman Malik to take measures against this menace in coordination with the provincial government.

The President also directed for the submission of a detailed report about extortion in Karachi.

It may be mentioned here that a large number of shopkeepers of various markets of Saddar area in Karachi on Thursday staged a protest demonstration against threats hurled to them by extortionist mafia.

The shopkeepers closed their shops and took to streets for recording their protest. They blocked the main MA Jinnah Road by burning tyres and chanted slogans against the extortion threats.