Street crime drops this Ramazan, as police use innovative means to control crime

Police in Jamshed Town have created their own anti-street crime police force to patrol streets

KARACHI: Every year in the holy month of Ramazan the unholy terror of street crime rises in Karachi. The most common street crimes are car, motorcycle and mobile phone snatching and looting shops.

Criminals come well-prepared and well-armed to execute these crimes by overpowering their victims with the help of their greatest weapon – fear.

Even though law enforcement agencies proudly tally their successes in the ongoing operation against terrorists, banned outfits and militant wings of political and religious organisations, Karachiites have been plagued year after year by a rise in street crimes. But this year something has changed and there is a drop in street crimes.

The Rangers and police force have also been directed by their superiors to be extra vigilant and patrol streets and roads, particularly the shopping hubs of the city, and conduct the snap-checking to protect the lives and valuables of the citizens and so far this seems to have been effective.



Community policing

To counter street crime, particularly in one of city’s majors shopping hubs – Tariq Road, which falls in the Jamshed Town division - the police force has chalked out its strategy and established a separate anti-street crimes force in the area.

The Jamshed Town division’s anti-street crime police force comprises at least 12 motorcycles. “We have chalked out our strategy to counter street crimes as incidents increase each year during Ramazan,” explained Jamshed Division SP Dr Muhammad Rizwan. “We have divided our motorcycle squads into four beats. One supervisor would be for two motorcycles. Each beat has its own specific area,” he told The Express Tribune.

Dr Rizwan said the motorcycle squads are not only covering main Tariq Road but have also been tasked with protecting the lives and valuables of the citizens on roads parallel to Tariq Road. “Criminals usually target shoppers, their valuables, cars and motorcycles when they cross parallel streets or when returning home after shopping or coming to the market,” the officer explained. These cops have also been given a briefing before going into duties and present follow-up reports after they perform their duties.



The law enforcers have trackers fitted into their specially modified motorcycles as well as special sirens and lights. The motorcycles cannot leave the area and are monitored via a monitoring room at the Jamshed Division SP office through wireless or mobile phones.

“Apart from the street crimes, they have also been given training and tasked with maintaining smooth traffic flow on Tariq Road and also to keep in touch with the shopkeepers in the market for their direct complaints or communications,” the officer explained.

Closed circuit television cameras are also being installed in the area for surveillance. The police have also demanded their superiors provide more strength for the division. “We have plans for a mounted police in the area, particularly for Tariq Road,” SP Rizwan explained. “We have good coordination with the Rangers.”

The anti-street crimes cops seem pleased to perform these duties. “It is like we are doing community policing,” said Muhammad Imran, one of the cops on the motorcycle squad. “People are behaving well with us and are not treating us the way they usually treat the police. We hope this continues after Ramazan as well,” he said.



On one hand, shopkeepers seem satisfied with the anti-street crime squad but on the other they are unhappy that they are not being allowed to encroach on the street. “We are happy that traffic and street crime issues are fewer than previous years but the cops are not even allowing us to set up stalls on the footpaths,” complained shopkeeper Muhammad Talha.

Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Chief Zubair Habib said the crime ratio this Ramazan is much better than previous years and the credit for this goes to the law enforcement agencies.

As per official statistics prepared by the CPLC for the first 10 days of Ramazan, the crime rate has decreased compared to the first 10 days of Ramazan last year.

A total 26 four-wheelers were snatched during the first 10 days of Ramazan this year, compared to 40 four-wheelers during the first 10 days of Ramazan last year. A total of 577 two-wheelers were stolen in the first 10 days of Ramazan in 2017 , compared to 721 in 2016.