Sabzi Mandi becomes robbery central in Karachi

Traders bemoan lack of additional police force in Ramazan

KARACHI:

Without any fear of law enforcers, armed robbers are running amuck in the city's main wholesale/bulk supply fruit and vegetable market.

This was claimed on Wednesday by traders who said bandits robbed people with impunity.

Despite reminders and requests of traders, no additional police were deployed at Sabzi Mandi in Karachi during the holy month of Ramadan.

The traders claimed robberies and snatching incidents inside and near market entrances had increased.

According to Market Committee Vice Chairperson Asif Ahmed, 150 policemen and mobiles were deployed in Sabzi Mandi every year during the month of Ramazan to maintain law and order. A written request to deploy additional personnel was sent to the IGP several days before the start of the holy, but had been ignored thus far, he claimed.

"As a result, the Sabzi Mandi has become a centre of problems," he added.

Ahmed said the number of people and vehicles coming to the market from Sindh and Punjab doubled in the fasting month and movement on roads near the market became difficult. "Hours of traffic jams have become a routine due to the absence of police personnel and this allows criminals to rob traders, shoppers and drivers of trucks."

He added armed men walk between the vehicles caught in the jam and take money from people who have nowhere to run or offer resistance.

Ahmed claimed that instead of posting a fulltime SHO, Shahid Khattak was given additional charge of the relevant police station. He alleged Khattak had no interest in Sabzi Mandi affairs and traders were facing extreme difficulties due to such negligence.

According to Ahmed, the market had a turnover of Rs2billion on a daily basis and more than a dozen robberies and snatching incidents are taking place daily.

The market committee sent a letter to the police additional IG, demanding he take notice of the situation and provide additional police for the safety of Sabzi Mandi.

On the other hand, traders appealed to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to question police officials who failed to provide security and take action against them.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2021.