Resistance foils street robbery attempt on journalist’s family

Rawalpindi:Two street robbers, reported to be Pakhtoon, attempted to rob Senior Journalist Khalid Iqbal of The News near Dhok Syedan Chowk in the jurisdiction of the Race Course Police Station on Saturday night. The incident occurred around 11:53 pm when the journalist was returning from a marriage ceremony with his family. Armed with a knife and an iron rod, the robbers were forced to flee after Khalid Iqbal’s 20-year-old son, Muhammad Iman Khalid, bravely resisted them.

Khalid Iqbal immediately called the police helpline at 15, reporting that the two robbers had stopped his car and attempted to harass his family. According to him, the robbers had followed the family’s vehicle from Taj Marriage Hall, near Koh-i-Noor Mills on Peshawar Road. The journalist was accompanied by his wife and two sons, Muhammad Iman Khalid and Ayan Khalid, aged 9. The robbers stopped the car on Misriyal Road near Dhok Syedan but retreated quickly when confronted by Iman Khalid’s resistance. They escaped in an unmarked auto rickshaw. Local residents gathered in an attempt to help, but the robbers managed to evade capture.

Sub-Inspector Muhammad Haider, Duty In-Charge of the Race Course Police Station, responded to the incident promptly and assured The News that the police are actively pursuing the culprits. “We will gather CCTV footage to identify and arrest the robbers,” he said, adding that the attempted robbery appeared to have been premeditated. He reassured the journalist and his family, promising, “Don’t worry; we will arrest these street robbers at any cost.” This incident highlights ongoing security concerns for residents of Rawalpindi, as well as the importance of vigilance and community cooperation in preventing street crime.