KARACHI: Police on Monday claimed to have arrested five suspects, including their ringleader who is an activist of the Pak Sarzameen Party, for their alleged involvement in over 100 house robberies.

“The Gulshan-i-Iqbal police arrested five suspects — Wasim alias Commando, Javed, Atiq, Amin and Sajid — and recovered Rs2.7 million, gold worth Rs2.5m and other valuables from them,” SSP East Azfar Mahesar told a press conference.

He said that Wasim Commando was the ringleader of the gang of dacoits and he was also a “hitman”.

“This gang of dacoits was involved in over 100 robberies in houses in Bahadurabad, Ferozeabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Defence, Clifton, Gizri, Darakhshan, Taimuria, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad and other areas,” he said.

They used to conduct the recce of the houses before committing robberies there.

During an initial investigation, they disclosed to have committed 20 houses robberies in district East alone.

Ringleader’s political connections

The SSP said the ringleader, Wasim, was earlier associated with the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi but now he “had taken shelter in the PSP”.

He said that he was allegedly involved in the killings of 10 persons, including a 12-year-old girl.

He said he told the police that he killed 10 persons on account of political rivalries and personal enmities.

“He had gone to prison several times but got released on bail,” the SSP said.

He said that he had joined the political party recently to avoid arrest.

SSU to help police in curbing street crime

Police authorities on Monday held a meeting to chalk out a strategy to curb street crime in the metropolis.

The meeting, chaired by DIG East Amir Farooqi, was attended by DIG Operations Maqsood Memon and SSPs of East, Korangi and Malir districts.

It was decided that in addition to the deployment of local police, commandos of Special Security Unit (SSU) would also be deployed for effective patrolling.

Besides, additional mobiles of Madadgar-15 and motorcycle squads would also be deployed.

The DIG East hoped that these measures would help in curbing street crime in identified areas.

In a separate meeting held in the office of DIG South Sharjeel Kharal, it was decided that mobiles of SSU would also respond to the calls pertaining to occurrence of crimes.

The participants said that areas would be identified where street crimes were rampant; a patrolling plan would also be made to curb crime.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2019