Karachi: 48 deaths during robberies this year, citizens are scared

According to the latest data of the Sindh Police, during the first three months of this year, 48 people have been killed in resistance during street crime and robbery incidents in Karachi. This number is 50.

According to the data of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), an organization established for the monitoring and prevention of crimes, 50 people have been killed in resistance during street crimes in Karachi during the three months of this year, 10 of them. Deaths were reported only in the month of Ramadan.

One of them is 37-year-old Ali Rehbar, who was killed by robbers on March 29 while resisting robbery at Johar Chowrangi bridge in Karachi.

A father of two sons and a daughter, Ali Rahbar had no permanent job. According to his brother Syed Ali Shahzar, he used to work with various food delivery companies, used to work as a rider with a bike company while also setting up food stalls during Ramadan.

Syed Ali Shahzar told Independent Urdu: ‘My brother wanted to be a cricketer. His teammates used to call him Inzamam-ul-Haq, but he was never given the opportunity to develop his passion to become a cricketer.’

After the death of his brother, he seems unhappy with the performance of the police, because the case of Ali Rahbar’s murder has been registered, but according to him, the police have not done anything so far.

He said: ‘If the performance of the police had been better, my brother’s criminals would have been in prison by now, but the performance of the police is zero. If the police had ruled the city instead of robbers, this incident would not have happened.’

This is not only the story of Ali Rehbar, about 50 families in Shahr-i-Quaid have gone through such hardship so far this year and there is no one to heal their pain.

What are the police doing?

On the issue of increasing street crimes in the city, the newly appointed Inspector General (IG) of Sindh Police Ghulam Nabi Memon presided over an important meeting on Sunday (March 31), during which important decisions were taken and street crime Assigned 60 senior officers to investigate cases.

The IG Sindh directed that the investigation of cases of killing or injury due to resistance in robbery should be given to an expert officer and seven best nominated officers should work on the case and arrest the accused.

Regarding the robbery incidents in Karachi, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Special Investigation Unit Adeel Chandio told Independent Urdu: ‘We are working from every angle to prevent street crimes and the criminals are released from jail. have been released, they are also being investigated because (it has generally been observed that) a criminal released from prison goes back to the path of crime.’

Adeel Chandio added that ‘However, all the deaths (this year) have been due to resistance. If someone gives things to robbers, he is not killed.’

Refraining from sharing the details of the steps taken by the police, SSP Adeel Chandio further told Independent Urdu that ‘if they tell the procedure of investigation, it will help the criminals, but every The case is being examined and it is hoped that the police will be able to maintain law and order in the city.

Actions are being claimed by the police, but the citizens of Karachi now feel afraid to step out of their homes.

The comments on the videos of viral robbery incidents on social media suggest that citizens do not carry much cash in their pockets or expensive phones when they leave their homes because, according to them, ‘you never know when someone will be robbed.’ Let the robber come and commit the crime and leave.’

On the other hand, with the help of CCV footage, the citizens have started to get the pictures of the alleged robbers and post them on social media, so that the police can identify and arrest them.

Naveed Kamal, a senior journalist who reports on crime, says that increasing street crime is linked to unemployment.

In a conversation with Independent Urdu, Naveed Kamal said that ‘since 2018, the unemployment rate has increased significantly, the effects of which were seen in the form of increasing crime.’

He further said that the second reason for the increase in crimes is the lack of punishment. Criminals go to jail but are released from jail within a few days or a week. They do not get punishment from the courts.’

According to Naveed Kamal: ‘Our criminal justice system is not strong while the street crime section also needs to be amended as it has become a serious problem.’

He said: ‘Police has two departments, operation and investigation. In the operation the SHO has to show his efficiency and he registers the FIR, but then when the case goes to the investigation department, there is no pressure on the investigating police to punish, so they do not They show interest because it involves going to court and the entire cost of gathering evidence is borne by them. Sometimes it happens that criminals are freed by taking money from them.’

He suggested that ‘to prevent crimes, the police should also have records of the slums adjacent to Karachi because the houses are small, who is living there, what are they doing, when are they coming for rent, some information. It doesn’t happen, so the police should make it mandatory that anyone who rents a room must do biometrics.’

Naveed Kamal further said that ‘Recently IG Sindh has assigned 60 senior officers to investigate street crimes cases. This initiative is good but the Sindh government, police and judiciary will have to modify it and there is a need to revise the bails of criminals.

Sindh government’s admission of ‘failure’, but commitment to action

Sindh’s ruling party, Pakistan People’s Party, has admitted that the law and order situation in Shahr Quaid was not satisfactory during their previous regime, which worsened during the caretaker government, but now the provincial government has decided to improve the situation. There is determination.

Speaking to the media in the Sindh Assembly on the occasion of the Senate elections on Tuesday, the Chief Minister of Sindh, in response to a question about the increasing incidents of street crimes, said that he had “during his previous government to control law and order in the province.” Effective measures were taken. Street crimes were brought under control in Karachi and police bridges were erected along the embankment of the Indus River to prevent dacoits in the Kacha area.’

Although he admitted that ‘the law and order situation was not satisfactory, it was not as bad as seen in January and February (this year).’

Syed Murad Ali Shah added that his government is taking strict measures to eliminate street criminals and dacoits and the situation will improve soon.

MQM threatened to quit the government

On the other hand, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) threatened to leave the government due to the deteriorating law and order situation in Shahr Quaid.

Speaking to the media in the Sindh Assembly on the occasion of the Senate election on Tuesday, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari said that ‘if the youth of Karachi continue to be killed for a few thousand rupees, they will leave all kinds of government.’

Criticizing the ruling party of the province, he said that peace and order was not restored during the 15-year tenure of the Pakistan People’s Party. The government should seat the public representatives and create a neighborhood watch system, the conditions of Karachi require operation again.’