LAHORE, May 27: At least 12 people have been killed this year and scores injured on resisting robbers.

Pickets, patrolling and higher police visibility have failed to have the desired effect of discouraging the robbers. Killings in dubious shootouts, too, made no difference.

According to official record, people have been killed or injured in 37 robberies since Jan 1. Cash, gold ornaments and vehicles worth over Rs7 million were taken away in these incidents.

Victims said police had been reluctant to register such cases and frequent follow-up calls and visits failed to yield results even when cases were registered.

In most cases, the criminals escaped despite police presence.

While the injured included people from almost all walks of life, those killed were traders, guards and housewives. They were: Shamim Akhtar, shot dead in Nishtar Colony; security guard Mushtaq Ahmad, killed in Defence; trader Muhammad Iqbal, killed in Islampura; Qaisar, a jeweller, and Saif, a passer-by, shot dead in Rang Mahal; Zahra Bibi, killed in Shahdara; factory guards Matloob and Zaman; trader Muhammad Saeed, shot dead in Nawankot; Gulzar Bibi, killed in Badami Bagh; Shazia, a pedestrian, shot dead in the Factory Area and Major Rafiq (retd) in Sattukatla.