Rangers focus on street crime hotspots

Paramilitary force enhances patrolling, snap checking in areas with high incidence of mugging

KARACHI:

Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, have formulated a strategy to curb the scourge of street crimes that has become a menace in Karachi city.

Using police daily crime report data, Rangers have marked the street crime hotspots, officials told The Express Tribune.

These hotspots include Gadap Town, Korangi, Orangi Town, Jamshed Town, Site, New Karachi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir and Landhi.

Sindh Rangers have increased their response teams in hotspots of street crimes and also increased patrolling.

At the same time, snap checking will also be carried out in these areas from time to time

According to Rangers sources, the number of street crimes in the city has increased in the first three months of this year as compared to the first three months of 2020 and 2021.

Ranger officials said that incidents of street crimes are being reported in the city's posh areas besides slums and backward areas.

Most street crimes are being carried out in the evening and at night or in the early morning while theft and snatching of motorcycles and cars are happening in the evening.

Drug addicts are mostly involved in street crimes in the city.

Read More: Street crime in Karachi

A large number of suspects involved in street crimes were frequently arrested in the past.

Rangers and police are working out a strategy to set up a correctional facility to bring drug addicts back to normal and healthy lifestyles.

According to Rangers sources, drugs are brought to the city from other provinces of the country by smuggling. Rangers are also working to monitor the city's entrances and exits to prevent drugs smuggling to the city.

Sources told that Korangi district tops the list in terms of street crimes in Karachi.

Moreover, incidents of street crime are more prevalent in areas where there are no street lights besides damaged roads, non- installation of CCTV cameras and lack of other infrastructure facilities are the major factors that lead to street crimes.

On the other hand, the stolen and snatched motorbikes in the city do not go out of the city but are sold in the city local theft-market in parts.

Rangers sources said that according to the global report, Karachi was ranked sixth with respect to crime rate index in 2013 but now 2022, the city crime index was ranked 122 in the world.

But still, the city has seen a significant reduction in serious crimes, including terrorism, targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom.

Rangers sources denied the fact that Lyari gang warlords were re-organizing in the city.

Rangers officials further said, "They found no evidence or information regarding the reorganization of gang war operatives and no grand operation was in the pipeline in Lyari."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2022.