Youth killed in Malir gun attack

A young man was killed in a firing incident in the Malir Cantonment area in the late hours of Thursday. Initially, it was reported that he was killed by muggers but later police said it was not clear.

Despite claims by law enforcement agencies that measures are being taken to control street crime, the law and order situation in Karachi seems to be worsening day by day with the daily rate of robberies exceeding 256.

During the first two months and 20 days of the current year, a total of 20,300 incidents of street crime have already been reported, in which robbers claimed the lives of 42 citizens.

The firing incident on Thursday night took place near Jinnah Avenue in the Malir Cantonment area within the limits of the Sachal police station. The injured youth was taken to a combined military hospital where he succumbed to injuries during treatment.

Police said the deceased man was identified as Shoaib Shafqat who had come to his aunt's house in Malir Cantonment for Iftar on Thursday. The incident occurred on his way back.

There were initial reports that three assailants on motorcycles snatched Shafqat's mobile phone, motorcycle and wallet and upon resistance, they opened fire and a bullet hit the youth in his back. The injured was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

However, later, Sachal SHO Ghulam Hussain Korai explained that nothing was snatched from the victim and it would be premature to say anything about the nature of the incident as the investigation was at the preliminary stage.

The officer said the police were also looking for a complainant who could register a case. He added that the victim hailed from Naukot and his relatives had taken his body away with them to his hometown for his last rites and they would register a case upon returning.

In 2022, the daily rate of street crime in the city was 235, which increased to 238 in 2023 and has now exceeded to 256 in 2024. According to the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), there were a total of 7,806 incidents of robbery in January 2024, 7,297 in February, and 5,197 in March so far.

As per the CPLC sources, in the last 22 days of March, 15,036 citizens were deprived of their mobile phones, and 3,543 incidents of motorcycles theft and 118 incidents of car theft were reported.

Police have arrested a total of 1,047 street criminals so far this year, said the Karachi police spokesperson. There have been 228 encounters with street criminals by police. In these encounters, 42 criminals were killed and 229 others arrested in injured condition.