Robbers on a rampage in Faisalabad

FAISALABAD: A total of 35 robbery incidents have been reported in the district on Thursday and Friday.

Scores of cash, gold ornaments, mobile phones, three cars and 11 motorcycles were stolen in the past two days and residents have expressed fears that the crime rate will continue to rise in the area.

According to locals, a motorcycle number FDK 6363 was snatched from Al Aziz by two motorcyclists who fled the scene in the Ghulam Muhammad Abad police precincts.

In Medina Town, robbers entered Hamid’s house and held his entire family hostage as they looted gold ornaments and mobile phones as in Hasib Shaheed colony a motorcycle was snatched from Rabbani. Meanwhile, in Mansoorabad robbers entered Abid’s house and looted cash, gold ornaments and a mobile phone. “I had already heard of two robberies the day before right near my house and the police had been called in but that didn’t stop them from coming back the next day,” said Abid’s wife Naseem.

In Gulshan Rafiq colony, Zeeshan was held hostage and the masked robber rode off on his motorcycle (FDQ 3247), while in Chak 257-RB cash and gold ornaments were stolen from school teacher Farooq’s house.

“People are terrified and most people are scared to go out of their homes in the area as there have been so many robberies in the past two days,” Farooq said.

In Gulshan bakery, a purse was snatched from Yasmin Kausar carrying cash and jewellery and when she complained the robber fired at her killing one of the shopkeepers in the process.

“I asked for help the moment I noticed the purse was gone and this boy ran after the man but a moment later he fell down dead,” Kausar said.

In Hajiabad, cell phones and cash were stolen from a mobile shop by a customer at gun point and in Akbar chowk Rs52,000 was snatched from Riaz. In Babar chowk five robbers from Mehmood Ahmed’s house stole Rs50,000 and two mobile phones.

Athar Ali, who was going to deposit his Rs4,000 electricity bill on Canal Road was robbed on his way and his cell phone was also stolen.

“I went to the police station to file a report but there were only two cops at the station and they told me ‘they didn’t have time for such small robberies’,” Ali said.

In Punjab Industry colony Abid and his wife were tied up in the kitchen by a group of robbers as cash and gold ornaments worth Rs350,000 were stolen from their house. Meanwhile, in Chandni Chowk Assghar’s wife was travelling on a rickshaw when her gold ornaments and mobile phone were stolen at gunpoint by the rickshaw driver.

in chak 454-GB Abdul Ghafoor was robbed as a gang of masked men raided his house for gold ornaments, the men also took his television and mobile phone.

In city Samundari, twelve robbers broke into Master Mushtaq’s house and stole cash and gold ornaments and also fired at the family, severely injuring Mushtaq’s two daughters who tried to protest when their jewellery was being taken.

In Bagh Jinnah, Muhammad Mumtaz’s motorcycle (number FDN 6750) was stolen from outside the session court as Zulfiqar Ali’s motorcycle was nabbed from Islam Nagar. Ajaz Ahmed was robbed of eight car batteries at his workshop and on Narwala Raod Taj Muhammad was robbed of three electricity meters.

Scores of motorbikes have been stolen over the past two days and locals say that the police officials are nowhere to be seen.

“We have called in to complain and dozens of people have even visited police stations around the district but no action is being taken,” said Zulfiqar Ali, adding that locals had decided to protest outside all police stations in the districts if the robberies did not stop within the next two days.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2010.