Daily Times

LAHORE: Despite the efforts and measures taken by the government and tall claims of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) of busting various gangs, the citizens still remain deprived of their cars, bikes and other valuables worth more than billions during the last four months.

Five people have even lost their lives in such incidents while more than 40 of the victims received serious injuries while “refusing” to cooperate with the assailants. The Muhafiz Police, Mujahid Police Force, Quick Response Force, Tiger Squad, Police Response Unit, Dolphin Squad and other wings of Punjab Police and law enforcement agencies remained no good in protection of the victims.

During the last four months, at least 150 people were murdered in different incidents across the city, more than 1,000 cases registered on the charges of bikes or cars theft, around 1,100 cases registered on the charges of vehicle snatching, while more than 3,000 cases were registered against different heinous crimes in 84 police stations of the city.

The data obtained from the Police department has revealed that there were more than 1,000 incidents of snatching, mainly targeting handbags, mobile phones, cash, cars, motorcycles and jewellery, in different parts of the city.

The police authorities had also set a plan to counter such criminals but they remained unsuccessful in most of their endeavours due to the loopholes in the system, including corruption within the department, inefficient infrastructure to cover all the areas, and criminal gangs having associations with influential people.

However, a numbers of innocent citizens, despite being deprived of their valuables, do not bother to register these crimes with the police in order to avoid further hassle which they would have to face in the form of repeated visits to and from the police stations.

The citizens believe that thana culture imposed by the government itself is a great help to these robbers and snatchers because the lesser the number of cases, the lesser there would be the chances for these criminals to get caught and face justice.

While talking to the Daily Times, citizens Ashraf, Shazad, Ilyas and Asif said that mobiles, motorbikes, purse and handbags snatching incidents are increasing rapidly for the last few months. They said that different gangs of teenage boys, criminals and proclaimed offenders are moving freely in the city on rented bikes, depriving the innocent citizens of their valuables before escaping with ease.