SWAT: The tranquil Swat valley, once renowned for its low crime rate, is now grappling with a surge in street crimes such as mobile snatching and robberies, causing distress among the residents, who have urged the police to swiftly quell these incidents.

On April 5, unidentified individuals on motorcycles tortured a student, Shah Nawaz in Nawkaley Chowk, and snatched his mobile phone.

In another incident, Hameed, 17, was robbed by three unidentified individuals near Amankot Market.

Hameed recounted that while he was on way to purchase food and other daily necessities, the perpetrators forcibly placed him into a rickshaw. “They took Rs20,000 from me and then threw me out of the moving rickshaw near Grassy Ground.” Hameed Khan reported the incident to Rahimabad police.

In yet another occurrence, on April 6, unidentified motorcyclists intercepted a boy, Huzaifa, near the hockey stadium in Makan Bagh Mingora and snatched his mobile phone and wallet. Huzaifa filed a report with Mingora police.

Multiple instances of mobile phone snatching were reported across Kabal, Saidu Sharif, College Colony, Wakey and several other areas throughout March and April. The residents have voiced grievances against the police, alleging their reports of robbery were not being properly registered at the relevant police stations; instead their complaints were recorded merely as lost items. “People used to say that Swat is a paradise on earth, untouched by the street crime plaguing other cities. Now, it’s disheartening to see these incidents becoming a reality here,” said resident Imtiaz Ali, reflecting on the changing scenario in Mingora.

Zubair Khan, another resident, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “We always felt safe in Swat, never worrying about walking down the streets. But now, with these street crimes emerging, that sense of security has been shattered.”

Dr Jawad Iqbal, a social activist, reflecting on the social impacts of such crimes, remarked, “These street crimes disrupt the fabric of our society. They not only rob us of our belongings but also rob us of our peace of mind and sense of community trust. It’s heartbreaking to see the impact it’s having on our once tight-knit neighbourhood.”

Social activists emphasised that Swat, being a bustling tourist destination in the country, cannot afford to ignore the alarming issue of street crimes. They cautioned that if the authorities fail to swiftly address and control this rising trend, it could have detrimental effects on the tourism sector.

Mingora and Kabal police have reported the arrest of the suspects in question, along with the recovery of a sum of money and mobile phones from their possession.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2024