Nearly 8,000 street criminals released on bail: Ghulam Nabi

KARACHI: Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon said that most of the street criminals arrested by police have been released on bail, a day after a journalist Athar Mateen was shot dead while resisting a robbery bid.

While speaking to media before the final rites of the journalist, AIG Karachi said that the police have apprehended 12,000 criminals involved in street crime activities in the city. He, however, regretted that 7,800 of them were granted bails and released by the courts.

“No one now knows what those released on bail are doing nowadays,” he said and added, “the police are working with the government to deal with the street crime incidents.”

The funeral prayers of journalist Athar Mateen, who was shot dead by robbers in Karachi’s North Nazimabad, was offered on Saturday afternoon.

Mateen’s funeral prayers were held at Clifton’s Al-Siddiqui mosque at 2pm. He will be laid to rest at the Yaseenabad graveyard.

President Dr. Arif Alvi, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, the journalist’s family members, and leaders of various political parties attended the funeral.

Mateen, who was working with a private news channel as senior producer, was shot dead near the Five Star Chowrangi in the port city’s North Nazimabad for thwarting a robbery Friday.

The police said that journalist Athar tried to foil a mugging bid when the incident occurred. “Muggers were looting a citizen when Mateen hit them with his vehicle,” they said and added that the suspects after being hit opened fire on him resulting in his immediate death.

“Athar Mateen was shot three times and we have recovered two empty casings of 30-bore pistol,” SSP Central Maroof Usman said.