KARACHI: Expressing deep concerns over rising street crimes all over the city, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Shamim Ahmed Firpo urged the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to devise an effective and result-oriented strategy to completely thwart rising street crimes, which continue to haunt the citizens who are terribly frightened of such crimes on the streets of Karachi. In a statement, President KCCI said that although substantial improvements have been witnessed in dealing with target killers, kidnappers, extortionists and terrorists after the commencement of the Karachi Operation in 2013, but the street crime, pertaining to snatching cash, mobiles, motorcycles, cars and other valuables, continue to worsen in every nook and corner of the city where Karachiites were fearlessly being looted not only during wee hours but also in broad daylight at some of the busiest streets. President KCCI said that street crimes have triggered a persistent element of fear while commuting around which also restricts business growth as consumers tend to minimize their shopping amid fear of being robbed on the streets and the businesses particularly retailers have to bear the additional burden of security costs. He said that it was a matter of grave concern that 60 locations of the city have been identified as highly unsafe where incidents pertaining to street crimes were frequently being reported every day but disappointingly, the elements responsible for carrying out criminal activities at gunpoint, were not being apprehended. “Carrying pistols and fearlessly looting the masses at locations where police mobiles can easily be seen nearby carrying out snap vehicle checks or patrolling, gives an impression that these criminals were probably carrying out their looting activities in close connivance with the local police”, he added. Referring to a statement by CPLC Chief, President KCCI acceded that it was a very serious issue that around 60 motorcycles and 35-40 mobile phones were either being snatched or stolen daily in Karachi which is intolerable. He was of the opinion was that the rising street crime in Karachi poses a serious question on the performance of LEAs, particularly the Police Department, which continues to follow obsolete policing methods to curb crimes. “There is a need to revamp the police department on a war footing basis as it is the prime responsibility of police to effectively deal with street crimes”, he stressed, adding that unfortunately, this department was constantly being neglected both at the federal and provincial levels which was a sheer injustice to the citizens of Karachi. Shamim Firpo said that lack of attention, corruption, poor governance and constant political interventions have terribly deteriorated the police department. On one hand, policing in Lahore was being supplemented by additional forces like the Dolphin Force (DP) launched in April 2016 and on the other hand, Karachi, which is the financial and industrial hub of Pakistan, contributing a mammoth share of more than 65 percent revenue to the national exchequer, is constantly being ignored, which the business and industrial community strongly protests. He urged the federal and provincial governments to pay special attention to the issues of Karachi, particularly the rising street crime which must be strictly tackled in order to ensure relief to Karachiites.