LAHORE: The provincial capital witnessed a sharp increase in street crime as more than three dozen incidents of robbery and theft were reported during the last 24 hours in various parts of the city.

Robbers looted five houses, 15 citizens during street crime and snatched motorcycles and cars from others, exposing the police’s utter failure in controlling crime in the city.

The family of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nephew Shershah Khan was also among those who were deprived of valuables including jewellery during house robbery.

Sources said the city had witnessed crime surge during the last one month or so but it was gradually increasing with every passing day which is evident from the fact that the criminals deprived families and citizens of valuables in 36 hits during 24 hours or so.

The sources said one of the reasons was the ‘capability’ issue of the incumbent top brass of the Lahore police, particularly the appointment of station house officers of ‘tainted’ record and some division SPs having no experience of field posting.

Robbers make off with cash, valuables in 36 hits during 24 hours

The Dolphin Squad, the Police Response Unit and other units of the city police were also taking least interest in their duties because of lack of resources including proper vehicles for patrolling.

According to the FIR lodged on the complaint of Shershah Khan on Saturday, three unidentified armed men forced their entry into his home located at Upper Mall early in the morning [3am] by scaling the boundary walls.

He said his wife and daughter were alone at that time. The suspects held his wife hostage, looted an expensive mobile phone, eight gold bangles, cash and a pistol worth over Rs1.1 million and fled the scene.

Mr Khan further stated in the FIR that the criminals also forced his wife to issue a cheque of Rs3 million fearing that they may withdraw amount from the respective bank.

In other incidents, three armed men barged into the residence of Waqar Ahmad in Chuhng area and deprived him and his family of valuables amounting to Rs2.1m.

Similarly, thieves unlocked the house of Rashid Mahmood in Qureshi Mohallah and took away jewellery, cash and other valuables worth over Rs2.2m.

As many as eight robbers entered the house of Naseer Ahmad in Manga Mandi area, held up his family at gunpoint and made off with valuables including mobile phones, jewellery and cash totalling Rs1.4m.

Four armed men forced their entry into the Johar Town residence of Ijaz Ahmad in Nawab Town area, held the family hostage and fled the scene with valuables, including jewellery and mobile phones worth Rs1.8m.

Armed men snatched mobile phone and a cash of Rs30,000 from Irfan at gunpoint in Kahna, Rs284,000 from Abdul Rehman in Haeir area, Rs120,000 from Rana Jehangir in Shahdara, Rs25,000 and mobile phone from Ijaz Latif in Hadiara, Rs228,000 from Zubair and his wife in Misri Shah, Rs22,000 and mobile phone from Arbab Khan in Gujjarpura, Rs50,000 and mobile phone from Abdul Sattar in City Raiwind, Rs52,000 and mobile phone from Usman in Nishtar Colony, Rs25,000 and mobile phone from Faiq Ali in Ghalib Market, and Rs15,000 from Javed Ahmad in Misri Shah area.

The criminals also deprived citizens of their cars and motorbikes in the areas of Ghaziabad, Shahdara, Lower Mall, Gujjarpura, Badami Bagh, Sabzazar, Nawab Town, Garden Town, Nishtar Colony, Nawankot, Sanda etc.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2020