Street crime data released by police paints rosy picture of Karachi

• Seven killed over resistance in Ramazan
• Official figures show decline in crime rate

KARACHI: While there was no decline in the number of people killed in the metropolis by armed muggers upon resistance during this year’s Ramazan from the previous year’s Ramazan, Karachi police claimed a decrease in other crimes — snatching / theft of cell phones, cars, motorbikes, etc — during the same period.

Official data reviewed by Dawn indicted that a total of seven persons were shot dead when they resisted mugging bids in 30 days of Ramazan in 2022.

An equal number of citizens had fallen victims to street crimes during 29 days of Ramazan in 2021.

The overall crime figures remained alarming for citizens of Karachi as during the 30 days of Ramazan this year, seven people were gunned down and 43 wounded over resistance; 1,812 cell phones, nine cars and 149 motorbikes were snatched at gunpoint and 112 four-wheelers and 1,519 two-wheelers were stolen from different parts of the metropolis.

It is pertinent to mention here that this is the official data, while countless criminal acts are carried out in the city, which are never registered due to various reasons.

The official data showed that a total of 57 persons suffered injuries during robberies in month of Ramazan in 2021 while 43 persons were wounded in Ramazan of 2022.

A total of 1,957 mobile phones were snatched at gunpoint in Ramazan in 2021 while total 1,812 cell phones were snatched in Ramazan of 2022, thus registering a decline of 145 cases.

The police data showed that total 15 cars were hijacked at gunpoint in Ramazan in 2021 while nine four-wheelers were snatched in Ramazan of 2022.

As many as 124 four-wheelers were stolen from different parts of the city in Ramazan 2021 while 112 cars were lifted in Ramazan 2022.

Total 264 motorbikes were snatched in month of Ramazan in 2021 while 149 two-wheelers were snatched in Ramazan 2022, thus there was 115 numbers decrease in this head of crime.

The police figures showed that there was a significant decrease in theft of motorcycles.

It showed that total 3,232 two-wheelers were stolen in Ramazan of 2021 while 1,519 bikes were lifted in Ramazan of 2022, thus there was 1,713 cases decrease in bike theft.

Two past months data

Meanwhile, the police have also prepared a comparative data of street crimes in month of March and April of 2022.

It showed that total 7,316 such crimes namely snatchings/theft of cell phones, cars and motorbikes were reported in month of March 2022 while total 6,628 crimes took place in outgoing month of April 2022, thus there was a decrease of 688 such incidents in one month’s time.

The comparative analysis of crime data by the police showed that total 2,416 cell phones were snatched in Karachi in March while 2,118 cell phones were snatched in April, thus there was a decrease of 298 such incidents.

Total 16 cars were snatched at gunpoint in March in the metropolis, while 12 four-wheelers were snatched in April. As many as 206 cars were stolen in March as compared to lifting of 183 four-wheelers in April, thus there was a decrease of 23 incidents. The data said total 408 motorbikes were snatched at gunpoint in March as compared to 346 bikes in April, thus there was a decrease of 62 incidents.

As many as 4,270 motorbikes were stolen in March in eight districts of the city while 3,969 bikes were lifted in April, thus there was a decrease of 301 incidents in one month period.

City police chief’s claim

Additional IGP Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon saw the comparative analysis of major heads of street crimes as a ‘significant improvement’ in law and order situation.

He said he had issued clear instructions that all cases of crimes should be registered immediately.

Mr Memon recalled that due to easy registration of FIRs, initially, crime figures had increased, but it was his ‘policy’ that the SHOs did not fudge the figures to hide their performance.

He said the police then focused on street crimes and contained elements of violence like gunpoint snatchings and house robberies.

He claimed that these both heads had decreased ‘significantly’ due to proactive policing.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2022