Target killings fall from 159 in 2015 to 72 in outgoing year;motorcycle theft up by 32 percent
Police said on Friday Karachi witnessed a 33 percent decline in killings in 2016 when 666 were killed as compared to 2015 which saw 993 persons being murdered.
According to statistics released by the city police, incidents of target killings also decreased by 72 percent as only 45 persons were shot dead in this year as compared to 159 in the corresponding year.
Karachi also witnessed a sharp decline in incidents of terrorism, kidnappings for ransom and extortion by 60, 57 and 34 percents respectively in 2016, only two incidents of terrorism were reported in the outgoing year as compared to the previous year, incidents of kidnappings for ransom dropped to 21 from 49 in 2015, and 146 cases of extortion were reported as compared to 224 in the previous year.
Motorcycle theft witnessed an alarming increase in 2016 when 32 percent more motorcycles were stolen as compared to the previous year, the police report shows, saying as many as 21,502 motorcycles were stolen this year as compared to 16,288 in 2015.
Incidents of all other street crimes, including car theft, car- snatching, motorcycle-snatching and mobile-phone and cash- snatching incidents, declined 9, 31, 14 and 23 percents respectively as 1,504 cars were stolen as compared to 1,661 in 2015, around 226 cars were snatched in 2016 as compared to 328 in 2015, around 2,759 motorcycles were snatched at gunpoint as compared to 3,227 in 2015, and 15,744 incidents of cell-phone and cash-snatching were reported as compared 20.486 in the year 2015.
The Karachi police also claimed to have killed 318 hardened criminals and terrorists, including 73 militants of banned outfits, 60 gangsters of various gangs of Lyari, 183 dacoits and robbers and eight kidnappers during encounters and actions against them.
Around 28,339 suspected criminals were also taken into custody, including 93 terrorists, 159 Lyari gangsters, 1,116 dacoits and robbers, 253 murderers, 21 kidnappers, 109 extortionists, 4,355 violators of the arms ordinance and 22,233 criminals for petty crimes.
The police also claimed to have recovered 6,030 illicit weapons, including 50 light machineguns, 257 Kalashnikovs and SMGs, 5,421 handguns, 205 rifles and 97 shotguns and repeaters.
Similarly, the police seized around 1,653 hand grenades, 14 suicide vests and 15 bags of explosives from terrorists and criminals during search operations and police actions in 2016.
The report further claims that murder cases of DSP Abdul Fateh Sangri killed in Steel Town police limits, DSP Majeed Abbas killed in Shah Latif Town police limits, killing of seven police personnel in Orangi Town, two traffic police in Azizabad, four Rangers personnel in Ittehad Town, Perween Rehman, murder of Dr Waheed-ur-Rehman, killing of advocate Amir Haider Shah, seven members of the Shia community, killing of two Deobandi scholars, three police personnel in Azizabad, target killing of military men in Saddar, Amjad Sabri in Liaquatabad, two army men in Saddar, stealing of six kilograms of gold from Tariq Road and killing of advocate Waqar Nadeem Shah were also resolved by the police.
The unsolved cases of 2016 were the target killings of two Bohri persons in Hyderi Market and North Nazimabad, six Deobandis in Hyderi, Jamshaid and FB Industrial Area police limits, killing of Ahmed community member, and DSP Faiz Ali Shigri on Rashid Minhas Road, the report says.
It says various mega events, including exhibitions at the Expo Centre, medical conferences which were attended by Chinese and international delegates and doctors, PTI and other parties’ protests and public gatherings, by-polls at various constituencies, religious events during Muharram, Ramazan, and Eid and various other events were managed by the Karachi police effectively and without any major incident of crime and terrorism.
As many as 1,752 police constables were recruited in the Sindh police through National Testing Service, 1,955 constables were promoted to head constables, 434 head constables were promoted to assistant sub inspectors (ASIs) and 387 sub inspectors were promoted to the posts of inspectors, the report says.
On Thursday, in its annual operations report for the year 2016, the paramilitary force claimed making remarkable achievements, with a 91 percent decrease in target killings in the metropolis since September 2013 being on the top of the list, News Desk adds.
Sharing details of the report in a statement, the spokesman for the Sindh Rangers said that the paramilitary force had achieved major successes in the operation from January 1, 2016, to date. According to the report, 350 terrorists of all categories were arrested, a total of 1,992 operations were conducted which led to arrests of 2,847 people, and1,845 weapons were seized. The number of ammunition seized in the raids was reported to be around two million.
Further breaking down the data, the report maintained that a total of 446 target killers were arrested. Of them, 348 belonged to militant wings of political parties, 11 were associated with sectarian parties and 87 with the Lyari gang war and the Peoples Amn Committee (PAC).
Providing a breakdown of the operation from 2013 to 2016 , the report said that 965 cases of target killings were reported in the year 2013, and the number was later brought down to 602 in 2014.
A further decrease was witnessed in the year 2015 and 2016 with 199 and 86 cases being reported in each year respectively. Target killings were brought down to 91 percent this year, it added.
A total of 72 extortionists were nabbed and 26 accused of carrying out kidnappings for ransom were among those arrested. Thirteen abductees were also claimed to have been recovered during the operation in 2016.
Sharing the statistics for another crucial factor adding to the city’s unrest, incidence of extortion, the paramilitary force’s report noted that 1,524 cases were reported in 2013.
Nevertheless, the successful operation carried out the following year brought the cases down to 899; the cases further fell in the year 2015, with 303 incidents reported, while only 99 were reported in 2016. The current year’s data proved that incidents of extortion were brought down by a massive 93 percent.
As for cases related to kidnappings, the year 2013 saw a surge in cases as 174 incidents were reported; however, a slight decrease was witnessed in 2014 with 115 cases emerging in total. Furthermore, the incidents reduced to 37 in 2015, whereas only 25 kidnappings for ransom were reported in the year 2016. The statement further stated that there was a marked improvement in the law and order situation.
Citing the year 2013, 57 cases of terrorist activities were recorded; the number increased to 66 in the year 2014.
However, with comprehensive operations the number of terrorist activities was brought down to 18 in 2015, and only 16 in 2016, which meant a 72 percent decrease in terrorism-related violence.