Armed bandits strike in busy street

Video of incident goes viral; bystanders fail to alert police or intervene

RAWALPINDI:

An alarming incident highlighting public apathy, fear, or indifference unfolded in broad daylight within the jurisdiction of Sadiqabad Police Station, Rawalpindi, where armed motorcyclists carried out a robbery in a busy, densely populated street while onlookers failed to intervene or alert the authorities.

The assailants intercepted a car in a crowded lane, positioning their motorcycle in front of the vehicle before robbing the occupant at gunpoint and fleeing the scene.

Neither passers-by nor an individual filming the incident made any apparent attempt to inform the police or disrupt the crime. The footage has since surfaced online. Police have registered a case on the complaint of the victim and initiated a search for the suspects. The viral video clearly shows helmet- and cap-wearing motorcyclists halting the vehicle and looting approximately Rs100,000 in cash at gunpoint before escaping.

During the incident, a woman in a burqa and several motorcyclists can be seen passing by the scene without reacting. Meanwhile, an unidentified individual recorded the entire episode from a house window or rooftop, capturing the robbery incident from multiple angles.

It is evident that the person filming—or any nearby citizen—could have at least alerted the police while leaving the scene or raised an alarm from a safe distance, potentially foiling the robbery. However, due to fear or a sense of helplessness among the public, the suspects managed to escape unchallenged.

Taking notice of the serious incident, Rawalpindi City Police Officer Khalid Hamdani directed Rawal SP Saad Arshad to ensure the arrest of those involved.