Robbers loot school van in Karachi

KARACHI – In yet another incident of hold-up, students of a private school were looted at gunpoint in Nazimabad area of the mega city on Tuesday.

According to police sources, three armed robbers on motorbikes intercepted a school van in Nazimabad and snatched cellular phones, cash and other valuables from the school-going children. The robbers didn’t even spare a passerby woman. Being informed, a police team rushed to the spot but of no avail as the robbers managed to flee. An FIR of the incident was registered in the area police station.

Looting vans and buses of the students on way to their educational institutions has become almost a routine in this beleaguered city, where Police and Rangers’ vigorous operation continuing for nearly a month and thousands of alleged criminals including target killers and extortionists claimed to have been rounded up during raids in various areas.

University students have become ‘sitting ducks’ for fearless bandits in the city. Earlier, three university buses were also looted not long ago. On September 3, some armed persons had waylaid the Karachi University point bus near Banaras Chowk and snatched away the semester fees, mobile phones and watches from the students.
The students after having staged a protest demo got the FIR registered at Pirabad Police Station.

Similarly, four armed persons had looted Jinnah University for Women’s van on September 28 near Karachi University and forced the girls to hand over their wallets and cellular phones. Later on October 1, NED University point was also intercept and armed persons looted the hapless students.
Student complained that the law enforcing agencies have failed to give them any security despite repeated incidents of loot and plunder in broad daylight and so-called heavy deployment of forces in the city.

Reacting to the news, MQM opposition leader in Sindh Assembly Faisal Sabzwari strongly condemned the robbery and demanded of the Sindh government to take stern notice of such subversive activities with students community in their college and universities vans and buses.
In a statement, Sabzwari said law and order situation in Karachi is very serious, police and law enforcement agencies have become totally failed to curb the increasing crime rate and after industrialists, businessmen, shopkeepers and common folks now even the students are not being spared which is a clear proof of the fact that local administration and the government is just helpless before the crime mafia.