Gangs barricade Korangi thoroughfare, loot stranded commuters as viral videos spark outrage over failure of policing
Kohat police on duty. Photo: online (file)
KARACHI:
The Shah Faisal Colony Bridge in Korangi has become a hotspot for crime, with armed attackers setting up a makeshift checkpoint and looting dozens of commuters at gunpoint on Saturday night.
According to eyewitnesses, a gang of attackers barricaded the bridge, halting traffic and spreading panic among commuters. The roadblock triggered a huge traffic jam, leaving long lines of vehicles stranded for hours.
Videos of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed armed robbers acting in groups, blocking the road with obstacles and systematically looting motorists. Some victims were reportedly subjected to violence during the incident, while the attackers carried automatic weapons.
Among those targeted was apparently a family returning home from a wedding.
Citizens expressed anger at what they described as the police’s failure to curb rising street crime, saying such incidents had become commonplace on the bridge.
They claimed that the suspects, believed to be from neighboring colonies, easily fled the scene after committing crimes.
The incident also sparked strong criticism on social media, with netizens questioning the effectiveness of law enforcement in ensuring public safety in the metropolis.
The concerned citizens urged the Sindh Chief Minister, Interior Minister and Inspector General of Police to immediately take cognizance of the situation and take strict action against those involved.
Meanwhile, taking note of the viral video of the brazen theft from Shah Faisal Bridge, DIG East Zone Dr Farrukh Ali directed the police to initiate immediate action and step up security in the area.
According to his spokesperson, DIG Dr Farrukh has directed SSP Korangi and SSP Malir to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and register a case against those involved.
He said the Shah Faisal Bridge is a key public artery of the metropolitan city and added that additional police officers should be deployed immediately to prevent such incidents in the future, along with reinforced patrols in and around the area.
The DIG further ordered that indiscriminate action be taken against elements involved in disturbing public order, stressing that protection of lives and property of citizens must be ensured at all costs.
