SUKKUR: Two armed robbers barged into the fourth floor apartment of Dawn’s senior correspondent, Waseem Shamsi, held him and all his family members at gunpoint and took away a large amount of cash, gold jewellery and almost all valuable domestic and electronic articles present inside on Monday night.

Neighbours quoting the victims said on Tuesday morning that soon after holding Mr Shamsi and his entire family at gunpoint, the robbers snatched their mobile phones and also the jewellery worn by women members before forcing them into a room and locking it from outside. They then collected cash and other valuables in a thorough search of all rooms.

The neighbours said that the robbers stayed in the apartment for about an hour before leaving the locality, near Bab-i-Rehmat Masjid, Bunder Road, without any resistance.

The journalist community of Sukkur and other upper Sindh districts have strongly condemned the robbery, saying that it was yet another glaring example of lawlessness and failed policing in the region.

A number of Mr Shami’s professional colleagues, relatives and friends visited his residence to sympathise with him over the incident. They also approached the Sukkur DIG and other police officers to seek their help in the arrest of the robbers and getting the family’s looted money and assets recovered from them.

DSP City Anwar Shaikh told the media in the evening that the “police have found a clue to the robbers and will be able to arrest them soon”.

Published in Dawn, Aug 2nd, 2023