Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami party chides Sindh government as crime rate skyrockets in Karachi
Jun 03, 2024
Karachi [Pakistan], June 3 : Munim Zafar, the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi, has condemned the killing of a teenager by street gangs in Karachi for resisting robbery, reported ARY News.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, the JI Karachi urged the Sindh government to take action in light of the city's deteriorating law and order situation.
Up to 80 individuals in the last five months have lost their lives in attacks by criminals.
Zafar stated that no site in the province was safe, as inhabitants in metropolis and riverine areas continue to suffer as a result of increased crime rates, according to ARY News.
It is pertinent to mention here that the killings in robberies have recorded a sharp increase in 2024 with a total of 56 killings and injuries to over 200 citizens so far.
Karachi, with its turbulent history of crime, stands familiar with the spectre of lawlessness. In recent times, the city has grappled with rampant street crime, robberies, drug-related offences, and encounters with law enforcement.
Street criminals operate with impunity, targeting citizens in broad daylight outside banks, amidst traffic snarls, and within bustling markets, resorting to violence when faced with resistance, Dawn reported.
President Asif Ali Zardari's recent directive to the Sindh chief minister underscores the gravity of the situation.
He urged extensive action against street criminals in Karachi, as well as drug traffickers and bandits in the riverine areas of upper Sindh and southern Punjab, calling for collaboration among provinces.
While some crime control measures have been reported, such as the revival of the Shaheen Force, an upgraded Madadgar-15 helpline, e-tagging of repeat offenders, and the implementation of the Sindh Smart Surveillance System, the response has been reactive rather than proactive.
Statistics mentioned in the Dawn report highlight the scale of the challenge: out of 103 kidnappings, 47 went unreported, while 104 individuals were recovered, leaving 19 still missing. Daily street crime incidents have declined from 252.32 in January to 166.2 in April.
Of the 48 incidents resulting in 49 casualties, 27 were identified, leading to 43 arrests and 13 police encounters, albeit with contentious implications, as reported by Dawn.
