KARACHI: No year passes peacefully in Karachi, where residents can breathe a sigh of relief or feel that their lives and property are safe.
Like every year, 2024 witnessed a number of incidents and tragedies, claiming the lives and property of 1,503 people, including women, children and law enforcement officials.
Despite the police adopting a “half-fry” formula (arrest and shoot), the robbers continued their activities unabated, killing an army officer, a retired commando, police officials, engineers, security guards and women, including 106 people died. About 300 others were also injured in the shooting of the bandits.
The city police claimed a 21 percent reduction in crime in 2024 compared to last year, asserting that the crime-solving rate has reached a level comparable to that of major countries in the world.
Street crime, however, continues to be a persistent problem with theft, robbery and other crimes. Street crime appears to be a continuing challenge, despite positive police reports on reducing and solving crime.
This situation is affecting the daily lives of Karachi residents, highlighting the disparity between the police’s claimed achievements and the reality on the ground.
Ruthless street criminals looted billions of rupees in cash and valuables from the city’s residents in 2024 and did not hesitate to kill and injure people at the slightest sign of resistance.
Street crime
Statistics from the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) from January to November 2024 show that 66,530 incidents of street crime were reported in Karachi. They included 1,913 car thefts and break-ins: an average of 174 per month and six days.
46,404 motorcycles were stolen and stolen during the same period: an average of 4,219 per month and 139 per day; And 18,213 phones were also stolen: an average of 1,683 per month and 55 per day.
Considering the total number of street crime incidents (66,530), an average of 6,048 crimes were committed in a month and 199 incidents per day. Based on these figures, the total number of street crimes in Karachi is expected to be 72,578 in 2024.
In January, 7,802 incidents were reported with 180 cars stolen and stolen, 5,317 motorcycles stolen and stolen, and 2,305 phones stolen. In February, 7,297 incidents were reported, including 171 stolen and stolen cars, 5,137 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,989 stolen phones.
In March, 7,485 incidents were reported in which 163 cars were stolen and stolen, 5,514 motorcycles were stolen and stolen, and 1,808 phones were stolen. In April, 5,714 incidents were reported, including 162 stolen and stolen cars, 4,184 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,368 stolen phones.
In May, 5,398 incidents were reported, including 164 stolen and stolen cars, 3,814 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,420 stolen phones. In June, 4,948 incidents were reported, including 159 stolen and stolen cars, 3,356 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,433 stolen phones.
In July, 5,359 incidents were reported, including 183 stolen and stolen cars, 3,686 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,490 stolen phones. In August, 5,951 incidents were reported, including 173 stolen and stolen cars, 4,041 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,737 stolen phones.
In September, 5,823 incidents were reported, including 190 stolen and stolen cars, 3,982 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,651 stolen phones. In October, 5,676 incidents were reported, including 193 stolen and stolen cars, 3,907 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,576 stolen phones.
In November, 5,077 incidents were reported, including 175 stolen and stolen cars, 3,466 stolen and stolen motorcycles, and 1,436 stolen phones. Although the CPLC has yet to release figures for December, data from the past 11 months shows an average of more than 6,000 crimes per month.
Meanwhile, frustrated by the rise in street crime, some Karachi residents took matters into their own hands and fought street criminals, killing 21 robbers and injuring around 65.
Terrorism
Karachi has also seen several major incidents of terrorism, including three major attacks on foreigners. The masterminds behind the three incidents are yet to be nabbed, though the police have claimed to have arrested some of the facilitators.
The most significant attack was on October 6, when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed a Chinese convoy near Jinnah International Airport, killing two Chinese nationals and one person, while injuring more than a dozen others.
The attack was the second major attack on foreigners in six months after the April 19 suicide attack on a convoy of Japanese nationals in Landhi’s Mansehra Colony. On November 5, two Chinese nationals were also injured when a private security guard opened fire in a garment factory.
In recent years, the city has seen a surge in nationalist sentiment, particularly among groups from Sindh and Balochistan, particularly after operations such as Zarb Azb, Radal al-Fasaad and the Karachi operation targeting the Taliban and other militant outfits.
Groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Sindh Revolutionary Army are active, cooperating with various separatist groups under the Baloch Raji Ajoi Singer umbrella organization. BLA involvement has been highlighted in all three terror cases involving foreigners.
There have also been some sectarian attacks involving groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Zainabion Brigade. Among these incidents, the target killing of DSP Ali Raza of the Counter-Terrorism Department is noteworthy. Militants from both these sectarian organizations were either killed or arrested in encounters with law enforcement agencies.
Other events
In 2024, seven hundred and seventy-three people died in road traffic accidents, including 602 men, 88 women, 62 boys and 21 girls, while 8 thousand 111 people were injured.
8 people died and 43 were injured due to gas cylinder explosion, 70 people died due to falling from roofs, 9 due to roof collapse and 45 due to collision of trains.
Suicide claimed 100 lives, including 64 men and 36 women, while 351 men and 12 women died of drug overdoses, most of which were found abandoned. Moreover, 29 dead bodies of newborns have been found, no accused has been arrested in these cases.