Street crime reduced by 50 per cent in Karachi: Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: Senior Minister of Sindh Sharjeel Memon on Thursday claimed that street crime in Karachi has decreased by almost fifty percent within a month.

Speaking at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Sharjeel Memon said that the situation in Karachi had worsened under a “well-thought-out conspiracy”, that Sindh was targeted for ‘political purposes’.

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The senior minister stated that it is the government’s responsibility to improve law and order. He claimed that during the 2000s, the street crime in Karachi was so severe that people would often travel in “caravans for safety.”

Memon then declared confidently that street crime in the city has been reduced by more than fifty percent in just a month.

He stated that the people of Karachi pay taxes worth billions of rupees. Memon also detailed the ongoing development projects in Karachi, including the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone and transportation infrastructure like the Red Line and Yellow Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as efforts to develop the coastal city.

According to a report released by the Karachi Police at the end of 2023, the city of 17 million witnessed an increase in street crimes by approximately 11.11 per cent compared to the previous year. The report further revealed that in just 2023, the city saw over 90,000 incidents of street crime.

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Among the incidents, 134 citizens fell victim to brutal murders, while hundreds sustained injuries while resisting robberies. More than 59,305 motorcycles and 2,336 cars were stolen or snatched, and over 28,000 Karachites were deprived of their mobile phones due to theft or robbery.

There were also over 17 incidents of kidnapping and 50 cases of extortion reported in Karachi.