76 suspects killed in Karachi encounters this year: IGP

KARACHI: Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon said that 76 suspects have been killed in Karachi encounters from January to 15^th May this year, ARY News reported.

Speaking to a delegation from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) that called on him to discuss the law and order situation in Sindh, particularly in Karachi, the IGP said that 546 encounters were held in Karachi during the period. The delegation was led by Senior Vice President of FPCCI Saqib Fayyaz

Ghulam Nabi Memon added that 76 suspects were gunned down by the police in retaliatory actions. He said that 2249 suspects have also been nabbed from 1^st January to 15^th May 2024.

The IGP said that 1480 police encounters were held in different districts of Sindh in which 146 suspects were killed while 7696 have been arrested.

He said that the police also conducted operations against Katcha area (riverine area) dacoits in Sukkur, Ghotki, Kashmore, and Shikarpur. Ghulam Nabi Memon said that the operations resulted in the killing of 70 dacoits and the arrest of 389 others.

The IGP said that 17 police personnel were martyred during these operations.

Ghulam Nabi Memon also briefed the delegation on the ‘decrease’ in street crime in Karachi, claiming a reduction of 160 daily reports of street crime in May compared to January 2024.

Earlier, the IGP stressed the need for improvement in the criminal justice system to punish offenders especially those who commit street crimes in Karachi.

Ghulam Nabi Memon said that the criminal justice system’s “flaws” are also a major contributing factor to the province’s rising crime rate, and that the police department alone cannot be held accountable for it.

“Police arrest robbers and others involved in criminal activities but they are released (by the courts). In all this situation, the police department is not the only one to be blamed,” the provincial police chief.