KARACHI: Hands trembling in fear and eyes seeking the life of her daughter, who was held at gunpoint, Ms Hashmi gave away all her belongings, including her beloved gold earrings and nose pin, to the robber.

“My seven-year-old girl was on the other side of the gun. He threatened to shoot her,” shared Ms Hashmi as she recalled the robbery incident that happened with her back in 2007.

“I was scared, but I did not exactly know what happened. I kept asking my mother when the uncle [suspect] would return her earrings, since I liked them,” Ms Hashmi’s daughter, who had been held at gunpoint, said.

“My nani [maternal grandmother] was so traumatised that she did not let anyone in the family wear gold throughout her life after that incident,” she told Dawn.

“It has been 15 years; we still are not allowed to use mobile phones while in the car. We are not allowed to use public transport. I come home around 12am from the office, and she [mother] waits for me by the gate,” she added.

Citizens share harrowing experiences of street crimes

It is more or less the story of every Karachiite who has gone through similar experiences in their lives. Karachi, in recent times, has seen a surge in street crimes and people who have been a victim to it are reliving their traumas.

Helplessness

One of those includes Roshail, 20, who was looted inside an ATM (automated teller machine) room near Abul Hasan Ispahani road in August, 2020.

“I went inside the ATM room, completed my transaction, and as soon as I pulled the gate, two armed men rushed in, hit me, turned me to the wall, pointed the gun on my back, and started emptying my pockets,” Roshail told Dawn.

“I started getting scared of walking at night, and especially going to the ATMs. Even seeing some men on bikes would give me creeps. I stopped using mobile phone for a while and disconnected with the world a bit,” he added.

Getting goosebumps with fear while recalling the incident, he said: “I still get anxious just thinking about it. I cross that exact spot every single day, and that has not changed anything about how it makes me feel.”

Expressing helplessness, he said: “I could have been one of those [killed]. I would have died that day. It was entirely up to them to shoot me or not.”

The street criminals in Karachi continue to rob citizens of their personal belongings and psychological peace.

Motorcycle theft

According to the data shared by Citizens-Police Liaison Committee, 4,486 bikes had been robbed in the month of February, with 2,199 citizens being deprived of their mobile phones.

Muhammad Bilal, 21, is one of the victims who lost his motorcycle last month. The F. B Area resident was on his way back home from university when two motorcyclists intercepted him near Imtiaz Super Market, Gulshan-i-Iqbal around 9.40pm on Feb 28.

He bought the bike two years ago, and being a bike lover, was obsessed with it. “I don’t exactly know how I feel. All I know is that I don’t want to buy another bike now,” he added, expressing his powerlessness.

The powerlessness and vulnerability against the robbers was found common among all victims.

The victims who encounter helplessness resort to the negative behaviour in life, former chairperson of Karachi University Department of Psychology, Prof Dr Anila Amber Malik told Dawn.

“The victims modify their behaviour in a negative manner and develop a negative approach towards life,” she said.

Commenting on the social impact of the victim, she said: “The victims often develop racism and avoid ethnic groups which they think robbed them of.”

“The victims feel emotions of fear, agony, anger and depression. They get flashbacks of the incident, awake at midnight, experience sweating, etc. The financial loss and psychological scar make them extra cautious which shows negative redefinition of their behaviours,” she added.

Referring to the possible way out, she said: “There is no categorical solution for all the victims. It totally depends on the symptoms witnessed in them. However, behavioural therapy, behavioural modification and cognitive restructuring are a few ways that I can mention.”

CPLC data suggests that 4,327 bikes were snatched in the month of January alone.

In the last 12 months, from March 2021 to Feb 2022, 2,155 cars were stolen and snatched, 52,007 bikes were robbed off, and a total of 26,078 mobiles were snatched from citizens of the metropolis.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2022