Open season for street snatchers in Karachi as minister tells people to keep phones where 'they can't be stolen'

Street crime is growing at an alarming rate in Pakistan’s biggest city Karachi. In just the first three months of 2023, over 21,000 cases were reported in the city. The most prevalent form of crime the people of the port city suffer is mobile and bike snatching. It’s business as usual for videos of people getting robbed by a snatcher to do rounds on social media but the authorities have failed to improve the situation. Sindh’s caretaker Interior Minister Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz has a unique piece of advice. “Keep your mobile phones in those places where they can’t get stolen,” he said. “Another piece of advice is to keep your phones in the hidden pockets.” While Nawaz is drawing flak for the irresponsible remarks, he’s not the first one to offer such advice. Last year, then-Karachi police chief Javed Alam Odho decried rising crimes and instead blamed the traders’ community for creating a sense of insecurity. Last year over 81,000 street crimes were reported in Karachi. 52,000 motorcycles were stolen and snatched, whereas, 26,400 citizens had their mobile phones snatched.