Rs0.5 million reward announced for assisiting in knife attacker’s arrest

Pictures of a suspect — allegedly involved in the infamous knife attacks on women in the metropolis’ Gulistan-e-Johar area — were released by Karachi Police late Saturday, with officials saying that the lone attacker “appears to be a lean man in his 20s”.

Sultan Khawaja — the deputy inspector general (DIG) of Karachi’s District East — announced that anyone who helps provide information, which could lead to suspect’s arrest, would be awarded Rs0.5 million.

The police officer mentioned that a mobile phone number — +923003552256 — has been assigned specifically to this issue.

The attacks — which are believed to have been carried out by the same suspect — have so far left at least nine women wounded near Rabia City and Jauhar Chowrangi locales of Gulistan-e-Johar. The latest attack came in the wee hours of Saturday when a woman was stabbed after getting out of a rickshaw near Mosamiat. She then headed to a nearby hospital for treatment in the same rickshaw.

Karachi Police released pictures — screengrabs from the CCTV footage — of the suspect Saturday night, wherein the assailant can be seen riding a motorbike moments before attacking one of the victims.

“The suspect appears to be a thin man, aged 20-29,” DIG Khawaja said, adding that “he appears to be 5 feet, 7-9 inches tall” and usually rides a red motorcycle.

Earlier on Saturday, police booked two more cases reported by victims of stabbing attacks in and around Gulistan-e-Johar this week, bringing the total to five.

A 28-year-old woman — who claims she was attacked Thursday afternoon — said a man on a motorcycle, wearing a helmet, had attacked her with a sharp-edged instrument from behind.

Another victim — who was attacked sometime Tuesday — said an unidentified man on a motorcycle wearing a black helmet assaulted her from behind.

A student of seventh grade — another survivor — informed police that she was attacked from behind near Rabia City in the same area, adding that she was unable to identify the suspect since his face was covered with a helmet.

The incidents have sparked fear and panic among the area’s residents, forcing women to take extra precautions before going outside.