Knife attacks on women: Karachi police register two more cases

KARACHI: Police have booked two more cases reported by victims of stabbing attacks in and around the city’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar locality this week, bringing the total at five.

Till Thursday, eight women in areas of Rabia City and Jauhar Chowrangi had reported being stabbed by an assailant on a bike. A 28-year-old woman, attacked on Thursday afternoon, said that a man on a motorcycle, wearing a helmet, had attacked her with a sharp-edged instrument from behind.

Another woman was attacked by the man in the wee hours of Saturday as she alighted from a rickshaw in the Mosamiat area. The woman then went to a nearby hospital in the same rickshaw for treatment.

The incidents have sparked fear and panic among the area residents, forcing women to take extra precautions before going outside.

Witnesses record statements

One of the victims, who was attacked on September 26, said that an unidentified man on a motorcycle wearing a black helmet attacked her from behind, Geo News reported on Thursday.

As a result, her leg was severely injured and she took a rickshaw to reach her house. The victim's mother then took her to a hospital and her father informed the police.

However, when the police reached her house, they arrested her father for the incident. Her father, Abdul Rashid, remarked that he was detained overnight and claimed the police had asked him for a bribe.

Another survivor, a student of seventh grade, informed police that she was attacked from behind near Rabia City in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The girl said she was unable to identify the attacker as he had covered his face with a helmet.

"I went outside to buy something when I was attacked by the assailants on a motorcycle," she said, adding that at least one of the attackers was wearing a black shirt.

The victim’s mother said her daughter had received eight stitches for her wounds.

According to the spokesperson of a private hospital in the area, as many as five girls had been brought to the hospital for treatment of knife injuries in the past few days.

He added four women were injured in two attacks on September 25, and one girl was attacked the very next day.

Police have started investigations into the case, he said.

Fear, panic in Gulistan-e-Jauhar

Panic has gripped different localities in Gulistan-e-Jauhar following the attacks.

A female student of Karachi University said that police officers have advised women to be careful while walking on the streets.

“We have been directed to not leave our houses after Maghrib prayers,” remarked another student.

Female students also said that they are taking all possible precautions including avoiding walking alone at night and not staying out for too long.

A KU student said that the attacker seems to be suffering from a psychological disorder. “Normal people do not commit such acts,” she added.

Another student said that government should take notice of the issue and resolve it immediately.