Street crimes in Karachi have surged alarmingly over the past seven months, with more than 44,000 criminal incidents reported, reflecting the ongoing struggle to curb lawlessness in Pakistan’s largest city.
According to a recent report by the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), the metropolis has witnessed a sharp rise in street crimes, with over 31,000 incidents of motorcycle theft and snatchings being recorded.
The report underscores the pervasive threat faced by residents, as more than 11,000 mobile phones were forcibly taken from citizens during this period.
The data further reveals that car theft and snatching have also been rampant, with over 1,000 such incidents reported in the last seven months. In addition to property crimes, the report highlights more severe criminal activities, including 12 cases of kidnapping for ransom and 57 incidents of extortion, underscoring the deteriorating security situation in Karachi.
In a related development, Karachi’s Additional Inspector General (AIG) Javed Akhtar Odho released a performance report for the past week, offering a glimpse into the law enforcement’s ongoing efforts to combat crime in the city. The report detailed that a total of 31 encounters took place between police forces and criminals, resulting in the deaths of three robbers and injuries to 34 others.
These confrontations led to the on-the-spot arrest of 50 suspects, demonstrating a proactive approach by the police in addressing the crime wave.Over the past week, the police have made significant strides in apprehending those involved in criminal activities.
The report indicates that more than 732 suspects were arrested, many of whom were linked to drug trafficking. A substantial amount of narcotics was seized during these operations, including 107.83 kilograms of hashish and 1.16 grams of crystal meth, commonly known as ice. The crackdown also led to the recovery of 108 different types of illegal weapons from the suspects.
Furthermore, the report mentioned that a total of 29 motorcycles were taken into custody over the week, as part of ongoing efforts to curb vehicle theft in the city. Despite these arrests and recoveries, the sheer volume of criminal incidents underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in Karachi, as they continue to grapple with the city’s entrenched issues of street crime and public safety.
News Report By Sami Hassan, Intern At The Pakistan Frontier