More than 100 people robbed in Karachi's Korangi area

Robbers reportedly set up roadblocks to conduct the crime, while police remained absent

KARACHI:

In what can be termed as the biggest street crime incident of the year so far a group of robbers looted over 100 people on Saturday on the Korangi Causeway in Karachi.

Ten to 12 robbers reportedly set up roadblocks to trap vehicles and proceeded to rob the people with relative ease and appeared to not be afraid of police and rangers.

According to the citizens caught in the roadblock, they had phoned the police helpline but it could not reach the location in time.

Moreover, the police not only denied the incident but also failed to register an FIR.

Talking to the Express Tribune, a citizen said that the city "has been handed over to robbers" and that the performance of police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies responsible for the protection of life and property has been "reduced to zero".

Read: Scary times in Karachi

Earlier this week, a senior producer working for a private TV channel was shot dead during a botched robbery in Karachi's North Nazimabad area.

Athar Mateen was gunned down after he rammed his vehicle into the bike of alleged robbers who were looting a citizen, said police. As the alleged robbers fell down they fired shots at the vehicle, killing the media worker, said SSP Central Rana Maroof.

The suspects managed to flee after the incident on a bike snatched from a citizen while leaving their bike behind, the SSP added.

Karachi Police Chief Ghulam Nabi Memon blamed drug addiction and unemployment for the spike in street crimes and said that the police have accepted the challenge to tackle this problem.