'Street watch force' deployed in Karachi to control rampant street crimes

Imtiaz Ali Published October 14, 2018

A policeman stands alert in Karachi in this file photo.

In order to curb unabated street crimes, a newly established ‘street watch force’ comprising 1,870 police personnel was deployed in Karachi on Saturday.

Addressing the force personnel at Garden police headquarters, where SSPs of all districts of the city were present, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh announced that the force will be deployed at "hot spots" where street crimes are rampant.

He pointed out that new motorbikes have been provided to the security force: 80 to South and City areas, 80 to district East and 20 each to Malir, West and Korangi.

Four policemen riding two motorbikes will perform their duty for eight hours in designated areas. Mostly newly recruited policemen have been deployed for this purpose.

District SSPs will head the street watch force in their respective areas, the AIG said.

The force's personnel have been directed to respond to any information regarding street crimes immediately.

Meanwhile, the city police chief announced a Rs50,000 reward for the policeman who was shot at and wounded by robbers in Sukhan area.

Another policeman was shot at and wounded during an 'encounter' with street criminals in Shah Latif Town area late on Friday night.

Separately, three suspected street criminals were arrested in an injured state after an encounter in Malir City area, also on Friday night.

Malir SSP Sheeraz Nazeer claimed that the injured suspects were involved in several street crime incidents.

Pakistan

Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio encompasses crime, politics, and the provincial legislature, alongside coverage of the courts, government affairs, and the health sector.

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Akber

Oct 14, 2018 02:05am

Interesting. Today around noon in front of my house on 26th Street dha 5 Karachi. A bown honda civic cut in front of a pajero and stopped it. Out jumped 2 athletic men with masks and gloves carrying automatic weapons. Knocked on the windows and took what they wanted from the 3 pasangers.. Put them in their pockets and drove off. Cars passing and people watching in Broad daylight. It looked like a security services job at first. Before it sank in that it was a robbery.

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Rameez

Oct 14, 2018 03:58am

Police need honest officials and non politicisation. Street watch force or some thing else will not make any difference.

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Atif Khan

Oct 14, 2018 04:35am

The police needs to “bait and catch” street criminals through sting operations (like in other countries). By recording the whole episode it makes it easy to put a convincing case in court.

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Mansur ul haque

Oct 14, 2018 06:58am

Well done. Time has come to eradicate these street criminals.

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LAHORI KID

Oct 14, 2018 07:07am

New recruits for this job? I hope they were trained properly, training is where Pakistan Police comes up short. There needs to be a fitness program for them as well, most policemen i see could barely walk, much less run.

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John

Oct 14, 2018 07:36am

Street crime is employment for the unemployed.

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Kaleem

Oct 14, 2018 09:08am

Hire local police from Karachi- give Karachiwalas their due share in govt jobs

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Abdullah

Oct 14, 2018 11:22am

He pointed out that new motorbikes have been provided to the security force: 80 to South and City areas, 80 to district East and 20 each to Malir, West and Korangi. What about Central Dist.??? Is it not located within Karachi limits?

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khanm

Oct 14, 2018 12:07pm

What an irony... we can't stop major crimes and we cannot stop street crimes..folks...Too much mercy... often resulted in further crimes which were fatal to innocent victims who need not have been victims if justice had been put first and mercy second.. have no mercy severe punishment is the solution ..

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Sami

Oct 14, 2018 02:50pm

This is alright but where are the new cameras for Karachi ? Where is the safe city project ??

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SHAHID SATTAR

Oct 14, 2018 07:37pm

The only change that has come is that another two thousand personnel have been employed by the Sindh government. What these new high status police men will be able to accomplish apart from getting paid heftily at the cost of the citizens of Karachi with all facilities for them as well as their families remains a scenario which is being repeated every few years with the change in the police hierarchy. One might ask as to how many of these policemen are from Karachi and how many from other areas of the province? How many have brought letters for their jobs from the higher ups in the political set up of the province? Any answers?

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Logicaldude

Oct 15, 2018 06:48am

Corruption in Sindh police is historical, systematic, deep rooted and pervasive no amount of investment shall cure it. Except a large scale purge, investigation, and punishments, corruption can always make more money than can be offered to the employees as salaries. With no fear of law or punishment they will continue sponsoring and committing crimes. And the politicians haven't taken the first step that is that it even exists.

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Khan

Oct 15, 2018 08:36am

Set up decoy to catch.

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