KARACHI, June 24: It seems that the Aziz Bhatti police station, Gulshan Town, has given free hand to the gangs of armed robbers who operate in the area without fear and rob people even in presence of police.

Most of the incidents are taking place in the limits of UC 6 and UC 7 where the robbers barge into the houses and spend several hours to collect valuables, appear at shops and demand cash at gunpoint, intercept bike-riders and car drivers to deprive them of mobile phones, gold ornaments and other valuables.

Dozens of such incidents have taken place in a couple of months in this area. One such incident took place on Thursday night at 8.30pm when two armed robbers riding on a bike suddenly appeared at outer room of a house belonging to PPP leader Iftikhar Qazi, who was sitting there with his two friends. The police check post is hardly 150 yards away from the house.

The robbers barged into the room through open door and took them at gunpoint. One of the robbers opened fire to harass them and the other ordered to take out cash and whatever they have. Fortunately, no one was injured and also the bid to rob was foiled as a large number of people had gathered after hearing the cries. Though an FIR was lodged no action has been taken so far.

Surprisingly, the number of crimes in the area has increased after a police check post was established near KESC gird station in Gulshan-i-Iqbal block-19, UC-6 on the demand of area people in March last.

The residents of this area had built a room with their donation for the police check-post and an ASI and some constables were posted there, but instead of curbing the crime, the police were involved in making ‘deals’ with the criminals.

According to area people, the policemen used to come to the check post in the evening where the drug pushers and other criminals start visiting them in cars and jeeps. Currently, the police have built a boundary wall of the check post to continue their activities without exposing them to the general public. —PPI