KARACHI: A shocking revelation has transpired that weapons belonging to Karachi police are being used in street crime incidents within the metropolitan city where ruthless bandits do not hesitate to kill people if they try to resist during robberies.
Stolen arms from police personnel are finding their way into the hands of criminals involved in street crime and extortion. This alarming revelation has prompted Karachi police to initiate efforts to compile a detailed record of weapons that have been stolen from their personnel.
As per sources, a weapon stolen or snatched from a police officer was used in a recent daring robbery involving the theft of Rs3 million from a businessman in the SITE Area. The suspects had snatched an official weapon from a police officer in Chakiwara on August 2.
Further details indicate that on Sept 7, two suspects on motorcycles attempted to extort Rs3 million from a factory businessman in the SITE Area. In response, the businessman’s security guard retaliated, resulting in one robber’s death, while his accomplice was injured.
Subsequent police investigations uncovered that the weapon used in this robbery had been stolen from a police officer posted in Chakiwara. A separate case has been registered in this regard, based on a complaint filed by a police official from Chakiwara.
As the police delved deeper into the matter, it transpired that the accused individuals were habitual criminals with a history of criminal activities, including the killing of a civilian in the central district during a robbery attempt. They had also been incarcerated three to four times previously.
In light of these concerning revelations, senior police officials have launched efforts to document the instances of weapons being stolen or snatched from police personnel over the past two years. These efforts include collecting information about the incidents in which these stolen weapons were subsequently used by bandits in their criminal activities.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2023.