• In May, robbers killed three people, but in June, 11 innocent citizens fell prey to the menace, data shows
• Over 250 citizens wounded in robberies over the past six months

KARACHI: While the incidents of street crimes have slightly declined in the metropolis compared to previous months, cases of murder-robbery incre­ased manifold in the month of June compared to May, it has emerged.

According to the Citiz­ens-Police Liaison Comm­ittee (CPLC) data, 40 people were murdered in June compared to 45 in May.

However, the monthly trend of street crime data maintained by different sources showed that the number of people killed by robbers in Karachi stood at three in May, but in June 11 innocent citizens were murdered by street criminals.

During the first six months of the current year, the data shows a total of 72 people had been killed by robbers — 13 in January, 20 in February, 11 in March and 14 in April.

In the month of May, 30 people were wounded by robbers while 35 people were wounded in June.

The data obtained by Dawn from different sources showed that 53 people were wounded in January, 45 in February, 56 in March and 34 in April, thus a total of 254 people were wounded during the last two quarters of this year.

Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon told Dawn that there was an increase in violent street crimes in June. He opined that street crimes fluctuated according to seasons, like Eid.

He said that street crimes were gradually declining in the metropolis as in May, an average of 174 incidents of street crime had been reported on a daily basis which fell to 152 cases per day in June.

10,304 cell phones, over 28,000 vehicles stolen in six months

The CPLC data showed that a total of 1,420 mobile phones were snatched at gunpoint in May while 1,414 cell phones were snatched in June.

A total of 10,304 cell phones were snatched during the first six months of 2024 — 2,305 in January, 1,989 in February, 1,808 in March and 1,368 cell phones were snatched in April.

The CPLC data said that a total of 135 four-wheelers were snatched at gunpoint during the past six months — 17 in January, 33 in February, 22 in March, 19 each in April and May and 25 in June.

As many as 145 cars were stolen in May while 140 cars were stolen in June.

The data showed that 163 cars were stolen in January, 138 in February, 141 in March and 143 in April, thus a total of 870 cars were stolen during the last six months.

The CPLC data also showed that a total of 4,639 motorbikes were snatched at gunpoint during the past six months — 867 in January, 916 in February, 968 in March, 612 in April, 711 in May and 569 in June.

A whopping 22,652 motorbikes were stolen during the past six months and according to the CPLC data, 4,454 bikes were stolen in January, 4,221 in February, 4,546 in March, 3,572 in April, 3,103 in May and 2,756 in June.

As per the CPLC data, three people were kidnapped for ransom in May while no such incident took place in June.

It said four citizens were kidnapped in January, one each in March and April, thus so far, nine people had been kidnapped for ransom during the six months.

As far as extortion is concerned, the CPLC data said that seven extortion incidents took place in May while there was no such incident in June. It said that nine incidents of extortion took place in Jan, 11 in Feb, five in March and 15 in April, thus a total of 47 incidents of extortion had been reported during the last six months.

‘Downward trend’

Speaking to Dawn, Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) chief Zubair Habib said that in certain categories of street crimes, there was a downward trend while in other categories it was static.

Elaborating, Mr Habib said four-wheelers’ snatching/theft was almost the same from January to June. However, in two-wheeler snatchings, there was a downward trend as 863 bikes were snatched in Jan, while in June, 569 bikes were snatched.

The CPLC head said the homicide was not increasing as during the last six months, a total of 298 people had been killed in the metropolis while prior to 2013, 2,300-2,400 people were being killed in Karachi annually.

He said in the homicide, 70pc of criminals were being arrested. He said despite inflation, unemployment, tough budget and closure or running of factories at 50pc less production and laying off employees, there was a downward trend of street crimes, which showed that the police strategy was ‘working’ in the metropolis.

Mr Habib believed that the installation of cameras at 40 toll plazas under the S-4 project would likely improve the situation further.

‘Meaningful’ action yet to be taken Citing certain issues, police sources said that it had been noted that “criminals when arrested are not being interrogated properly to trace their accomplices and to find out buyers of stolen goods”.

Besides, they added, there was also ‘no visible action’ so far as to who was bringing arms/ammunition to the city.

They said that the criminals coming from other provinces had built a ‘nexus’ with local people in the provincial capital, but there was “no combined action” with the police of other provinces.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2024