• Police data shows 44 citizens murdered by muggers in 2023
• 38 suspected robbers killed in ‘encounters’ • Over 5,600 motorbikes, 518 cars snatched/stolen

KARACHI: A massive rise has been witnessed in killing of citizens by armed street criminals in the first five months of the year.

According to the data compiled by the Sindh police, as many as 44 Karachiites were murdered by robbers from January to May this year. However, the number of people killed during the same period last year was 26, indicating that murders by robbers had doubled during the current year.

Police list incidents of mobile phone snatching, robberies, motorcycle/car snatching and theft in the category of street crime.

The year started with the killing of 25-year-old Jahangir Sohail who had been shot dead outside his home on the very first day of the year, and since then, a citizen is murdered, statistically on average, on almost every third day.

In a number of cases, armed criminals shot several citizens who did not resist physically or even verbally. However, the police categorised all such cases as “robbery resistance” regardless of the fact whether a victim put up resistance or not.

Over 11,500 cell phones snatched or stolen

The data of the Sindh police shows an overall situation of serious lawlessness in the provincial capital.

The data shows Karachi witnessed 116 shop robberies and 1,713 other robberies during the first five months.

At least 518 cars were taken away from citizens during the same period, of which 46 were snatched at gunpoint and 472 were stolen.

Some 4,441 motorcycles were stolen and 1,191 snatched at gunpoint during the first five months.

The number of mobile phones snatched or stolen during the same period stands at 11,936.

The data suggests that as much as 38 suspected robbers were killed in alleged police encounters during the January-May period.

The police claimed to have arrested 477 suspects in injured condition during such encounters.

‘Lack of focus by field staff’

When asked as to why the metropolis was experiencing a rise in the pattern of killing during robberies, a senior police officer told Dawn: “The incidence of violent crimes unambiguously points to a general trend of uncontrolled law and order in the sprawling metropolis which becomes worse off on advent of special events such as Eid holidays.

“Ineffective watch and ward, lack of focus by field staff, chronic fault lines in the criminal justice system, political interference in transfers/postings and burgeoning use of synthetic drugs among youth are some of the contributing factors,” he said.

He also pointed out the use of legitimate force by police. “Police resort to violence against criminals in the shape of ‘half fry and full fry’ staged encounters which have also witnessed a spike in violent crimes in its wake.”

Responding to a question as to how the police could curb the menace, SSP-South Asad Raza said: “Better police patrols for effective crime prevention, entry and exit control and intelligence-based operations can effectively check this trend.”

When asked about the growing incidents of mob justice, lynching and killings in self-defence, the senior police officer said: “Mob justice only shows peoples’ desperation in crime hotspots such as Orangi Town or Korangi. Police’s unresponsive attitude is reprehensible in such circumstances.

“Citizens are authorised to open fire in self-defence, but its use should be a case of exception rather than a rule which would have disastrous consequences for society in general,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2023