DIG orders inquiry after video, purportedly showing armed robbery on Karachi bridge, goes viral

KARACHI: East Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Farrukh Ali on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the reports of an armed robbery by several suspects on a bridge in Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony after a video purportedly showing the incident was widely shared on social media.

In the video, a man is heard saying that 10-12 robbers are looting the commuters on the bridge late at night.

The police statement said DIG Ali had directed Korangi and Malir’s senior superintendents of the police to conduct an inquiry into the incident and register a first information report.

The statement further quoted DIG Ali as saying, “Shah Faisal Bridge is an important public thoroughfare”, and added that the official ordered the immediate additional deployment and patrolling of police at the spot to prevent such incidents in the future.

“Protecting the life and property of the citizens and taking action against elements involved in breaching peace without any … is the police’s priority,” he was quoted as saying.

On the other hand, Malir police maintained in a statement that no citizen was robbed in the incident, which took place in the jurisdiction of Sharafi Goth police station, due to the timely action by law enforcers.

The statement said a few individuals, carrying sticks, had arrived at the scene and attempted to accost the citizens.

“However, Sharafi Goth police were already deployed at their designated spots. Police took immediate action and chased the suspects, who managed to flee the scene, taking advantage of the darkness.

“Due to the timely action of the police, the attempted crime by unidentified suspects was foiled, and no citizen was robbed,” the Malir police claimed.

MQM-P, JI reaction

In a joint statement, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmakers from the Sindh Assembly expressed their serious concerns over the incident.

The legislators alleged that it was a result of the Sindh government’s “deliberate negligence” and a “conspiracy to economically deprive the citizens”.

“Now, none of Karachi’s streets or roads is safe from the criminals, and the armed robbers not only loot the citizens but they also kill them over resistance,” the lawmakers said.

They accused the provincial government and the police of adopting “criminal silence” over street crime, saying that when authorities “shield” dacoits, people are compelled to take action for their own safety.

In a statement, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Karachi chief Munim Zafar Khan urged the authorities to take immediate action to arrest the culprits.

“An incident of looting on the main Korangi-Shah Faisal Colony bridge puts a question mark over the performance of the Sindh government and law enforcers,” Zafar said.

“The looting of the citizens on a busy bridge by armed robbers after cordoning off the area reflects the worst law and order situation,” he stated.