Malir ( Reporter) Malir district has in the past two months, turned into a virtual killing ground. According to a local survey, in just eight weeks five police personnel, a senior journalist, three transgender persons and several civilians have been murdered, while more than a hundred incidents of robberies and looting have been reported. The crime wave has plunged the district’s residents into fear and insecurity.
Security personnel themselves have become prime targets of criminals. In Bin Qasim police limits, ASI Muhammad Khan Abro was gunned down; Head Constable Abdul Karim Jokhio was targeted near Memon Goth police station; and Constable Metiro Bhurgari of the same station was shot dead in his own area. Constable Saddam Hussain was murdered within Gulshan-e-Maymar police jurisdiction, while a day before his retirement ASI Qaiser Ali was shot dead by armed men in Sukhan police limits. Ali was posted at Saudabad police station but had visited Bhains Colony on personal business.Journalist and Civilians Not Spared
At Kala Board in Malir, unknown gunmen critically injured senior journalist Imtiaz Mir in a targeted attack; he later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. In another incident, Shah Jahan Abbasi and another man were shot dead in Quaidabad, while in Shah Latif Town a man named Muhammad Wasim was murdered.
Three transgender persons were gunned down in Memon Goth police limits. In Bhittaiabad, three women including a minor girl were brutally killed with sharp-edged weapons. These shocking incidents have intensified fear among residents.
Robberies, Extortion and Drugs Flourish
Robbery, looting and extortion have become routine in Malir’s police jurisdictions including Malir City, Shah Latif, Steel Town, Bin Qasim, Memon Goth and Gadap. In Shah Latif Town, dozens of citizens including journalist Tariq Jan were looted. In Malir City, armed men opened fire on the Jelani Shopping Center after the refusal to pay a five-crore-rupee extortion demand, but no suspect has been arrested.
Alongside killings and robberies, narcotics trade is thriving openly. Gutka, mawa, hashish, crystal meth (“ice”) and liquor dens operate brazenly while law-enforcement agencies stand by
Residents Demand Action Local residents say that despite the presence of Malir SSP Dr. Abdul Khaliq Pirzado, the Shaheen Force and intelligence agencies, authorities have failed to restore order. With killings, robberies and the drug trade continuing unchecked, citizens have appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the Inspector General of Sindh and the DIG East to take immediate notice and launch strict action to restore peace and security in the district.
