Street crime in Karachi: CPLC identifies danger zones

KARACHI: The Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) has identified 60 areas of the city where citizens are at a risk of mugging and other street crimes.

The high-risk areas include NIPA Chowrangi, Hassan Square, Sakhi Hassan, Aisha Manzil, Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Do Darya, PIDC, Clifton, and Defence.

According to the organisation, robbers frequent the road from Qalandria Chowk, North Nazimabad to Five Star Chowrangi, and loot unsuspecting people of their cash and mobile phones.

The mini-food street at Hassan Square is also a high-risk zone, where street criminals get away with their act without the fear of security officials. The Karachi University-Safari Park route is also labeled unsafe.

Citizens are also cautioned to be careful on the road from Jail Chowrangi to Bahadurabad and Tariq Road in order to avoid being mugged.

The road from Seaview to Do Darya was highlighted as a zone where muggers hold picnickers at gunpoint and rob them of their belongings.

As per CPLC statistics for 2016, 19,336 cases of mobile snatching were reported for the period. Street crime grew by 38%. In addition, 22,358 motorcycles were snatched – the figure rose by 24% when compared to 2015. However, CPLC noted that car theft declined in 2016.