SHCBA moves high court against street crime, kidnappings, robberies in Sindh

The Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) has filed a petition with the Sindh High Court (SHC) against street crime incidents, short term kidnappings and deteriorating law and order situation in the province requesting the high court to direct the police and Rangers to take immediate and effective measures for eradicating street crime, armed robberies, kidnappings and other crimes prevalent in many areas of the province, particularly Karachi, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Ghotki, Sukkur and their adjoining areas.

The SHCBA through its president Rehan Aziz Malik, secretary Mohammad Sarfaraz Ali Metlo and other officer bearers and members of the managing committee submitted that its members were deeply concerned about the alarming rise in street crime in Karachi, and other parts of Sindh.

They submitted that the street crime in Karachi had resulted in the unfortunate loss of more than 75 precious lives in recent months and many innocent citizens had sustained injuries due to armed robberies, mobile snatching, motorcycle snatching/theft, car snatching/theft and other criminal activities besides losing their valuable assets worth millions.

They submitted that once again, the streets of Karachi had become completely unsafe for its residents or any one visiting the metropolitan city. They said the citizens were living in constant fear of being attacked, robbed or killed while going about their daily lives.

The petitioners submitted that the bustling city of Karachi had unfortunately fallen into a state of chaos, with street criminals taking advantage of the situation. The crime rate had experienced a significant increase in recent years, instilling a constant sense of fear and unease among the citizens.

They submitted that the inhabitants of various districts in Sindh, such as Kashmore, Kandhkot, Ghotki and Sukkur, endured an ongoing state of apprehension due to the presence of armed robbers and dacoits in the katcha regions. They said that this state of affairs had resulted in significant restrictions on the movement and travel of individuals residing in these areas, particularly after sunset.

They submitted that the law enforcement agencies, police and Rangers were either incapable of handling the situation or they were simply unwilling to perform their duties.

The helplessness and inaction of the law enforcement agencies had exacerbated the situation, leaving the residents of Karachi and other parts of Sindh vulnerable and unprotected, the petitioners said.

They submitted that the SHCBA members and residents of Sindh, particularly Karachi, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Ghotki, Sukkur and adjoining areas, had been left at the mercy of street criminals, robbers and extortionists.

The high court was requested to direct the police and Rangers to take immediate and effective measures to control and eradicate street crime, armed robberies, kidnappings, extortion, mobile phone snatchings, vehicles theft, etc. prevalent in many districts of Sindh, ensuring the safety and security of the residents.

They also sought an independent inquiry into the failure of the police, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies to perform their duties so that they could be held accountable for negligence and dereliction of duty.

The petitioners requested the SHC to direct the Sindh government to devise and implement a comprehensive strategy to restore law and order in the city of Karachi and other districts like Kashmore, Kandhkot, Ghotki and Sukkur, through increased patrolling, installation of surveillance cameras and community policing initiatives.