45 people robbed at gunpoint daily in Karachi during April: CPLC

KARACHI: The Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) has released a report indicating a staggering number of 45 people being robbed of their valuables at gunpoint in the city on daily basis during the month of April.

From personal valuables to vehicles, many citizens have been robbed of their belongings at gunpoint. Valuables listed mainly include mobile phones, cash and motorcycles. A number of 45 people on average are reported to have fallen victim to these rising crimes in the city every day.

According to the report, as many as 1,110 mobile phones were snatched at gunpoint while 1466 mobile phones were stolen in April. The CPLC collected the stats on the basis of complaints lodged by the citizens. There are some, especially in cases of cell-phone snatching, who do not report the crime.

Similarly, 234 motorcycles were looted by armed muggers and a staggering number of 1915 motorcycles were stolen irrespective of CCTV cameras positioned at various points.

In addition, 16 people were forced to let go of their cars by dacoits and 85 vehicles were stolen. Only 46 of such vehicles were recovered.

The report further states that an unfortunate count of 34 people lost their lives in various shooting incidents around the city. While 11 cases of extortion were reported last month and 1 case of ransom emerged, the report claims.

Last year CPLC had released a report which listed the number of robberies and snatching cases that took place in the year 2017.

The report said 28,000 people were stripped of their mobile phones. A total worth of these handsets made up to Rs280.8 million.

24,154 citizens lost their motorbikes, worth around Rs966.1 mn. While, 1,331 subjects were deprived of their vehicles, worth about Rs931.7 mn in the megapolis.

Eleven incidents of kidnapping for ransom and 61 of extortions were reported to police.

The CPLC also disclosed that eight banks in the metropolis were subjected to robbery in the last 11 months.