A new class of criminals

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Amid operation of the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in Karachi against organized crime, street criminals are moving in to fill the void, Pakistan Today has reliably learnt.

Residents of the metropolis seem helpless before a new class of armed criminals as they continue to become victims of street crimes in the city. As darkness spreads, armed delinquents come out of their hideouts and start looting the residents of their valuables.

The severity of the issue can be gauged from the fact that some areas of the city have become strongholds of street criminals, and everyday many residents are deprived of their cell-pones, vehicles, cash and others valuables, but they are not being arrested by the police so far.

The targeted operation in Karachi brought a huge decrease in target killing, sectarian violence and extortion activities, but police have failed to get incidents of street crime under control so far.

The areas of North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Clifton and DHA have emerged as highly-volatile areas during the last two months as far as street crimes are concerned.

In Gulistan-e-Jauhar, residents of the apartments located on both sides of roads leading towards Jauhar Chowrangi from University Road are becoming victims of street crimes regularly.

This activity has been going on in the area for many days and according to the residents, they have lodged many complaints with the local police and requested to beef-up security, but their pleas had fell on deaf ears.

Shopkeepers in the area also have become victims of street crimes during the last few months. They have also complained of a lack of response from the police.

An owner of a beauty parlour located beneath Abdullah Terrace told Pakistan Today that many of his customers had become victims of street crimes in the last two months. Showing an application that he had submitted to Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station SHO, he said that establishing business in the area had become a herculean task because of street crimes.

Sharing details of a few incidents that occurred around Abdullah Terrace during the last two months, he said that a female customer, who arrived at his beauty salon, was deprived of his four-wheeler at gun-point. Two days after that incident, armed assailants looted a bride, who come out of the salon to go to her wedding, and deprived her from jewelery, bridal dress, mobile phones and cash worth million of rupees.

He said that he had informed Gulistan-e-Jauhar SHO that street criminals arrived in the area after Maghrib prayers and started looting innocent residents.

“I have requested the SHO to enhance patrolling in the area during the nights, but he has done nothing so far,” he said.

Talking to Pakistan Today, newly-appointed Gulshan-e-Iqbal Superintendent Police (SP) Hassan Sardar Niazi said that he had convened a meeting after assuming charge of his new office, and directed the SHOs of all police stations to play their role in bringing the incidents of street crimes down.

Responding to a question regarding increase in street crimes amid Karachi operation, he claimed that operation in the metropolis had been fruitful in bringing back former glories of the city of lights, and expressed hope that police would overcome the new menace shortly.