Masked burglars walk off with Rs300m gold

Thieves hit Iqbal Market jewellery shop under cover of night; police launch all-out manhunt

KARACHI:

In one of the city's largest jewellery heists, unknown burglars broke into a shop in Orangi Town's Iqbal Market, making off with 606 tolas of gold worth over Rs300 million and diamonds valued at more than Rs2.5 million.

The incident occurred in the shop on Sector 11 Main Road, Iqbal Market, District West. The shop owner, Ayub Khan, filed an FIR (No 26/41) at Iqbal Market Police Station after discovering the theft on the morning of February 14. According to Khan, artisans had closed the shop on the night of February 12, and upon reopening it, they found multiple jewellery boxes empty and the rear wall of the shop broken. Some stolen items belonged to customers, totalling over Rs2.5 million in value.

CCTV footage obtained by The Express Tribune shows the burglars - lean and masked - attempting multiple times to enter the shop through a small hole in the back wall. Eventually, they enlarged the opening and entered, covering the camera immediately with cloth to avoid detection.

Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar has taken notice of the incident, summoning SSP West for a detailed report. He directed the formation of special teams to apprehend the culprits and recover the stolen property, emphasising the use of CCTV, forensic evidence, and technical resources.

Authorities have also been instructed to strengthen security in jewellery markets and sensitive commercial areas and to take strict legal action against offenders without exception.