The citizens of the country are losing goods worth crores of rupees or the same value every day in cases of crimes including street crimes, extortion, theft and snatching while a large number of youths are inclined towards crimes due to poverty and joblessness.

Moreover, the inattention and indifference of the relevant government machinery and police officials is also a factor across the country. There is no small or big city in the country, including the federal capital, which is safe from street crimes at the moment.  

Every day, in the incidents carried out at the point of arms, the criminals remain with the citizens due to economic conditions. Khachi does not leave savings. Despite having relevant ministries and departments under them at the federal and provincial levels in the country, how is all this happening, there is a need to check the performance of employees from the highest to the lowest level.  According to reports, there is evidence of criminals moving easily from one district to another, even provinces, after committing the crimes, which reveals their activities. For years, the reports of kidnappings and other incidents and the links of the criminals behind them with street bandits have spread fear and panic in the urban circles. It cannot be denied that mobile phones have changed the working culture and social system in many ways. It is also providing facilities for criminals, but in this advanced age of technology, this facility can also turn into a roundup of them, which the government machinery is well aware of. As a matter of fact, street criminals: the bigger threat in urban centres. Street crimes are the problem of all major cities of the country, and like other big urban centres, the situation in Karachi is also serious.  Mobile phones are being snatched from the front of people's houses in populated settlements. Bank withdrawers are also easy targets for robbers. Due to the lack of work on the Safe City Project, the police could not find the videos of most of the incidents.  According to the police, most of the arrested accused have been arrested before, but after being released on bail, they become active again. Without merit. Deploying officers is one of the main reasons for not controlling crime.

Some analysts say that  some crime-sponsors join the ranks of policemen and officers. In recent months, scores of officers and personnel have been dismissed for the same reason, but after the complete overhauling of the police department, without building the entire system on the basis of transparency and competence, it is not possible to end the increasing crimes in the city. The federal and provincial governments have to include this matter in his top priorities. Economic depression, social inequalities are also the factors.One would agree with Chairperson of the Department of Psychology, University of Karachi , who says  that poverty and unemployment are major causes of street crime among economic factors.The unprecedented double-digit inflation and unemployment have been fueling the rate of street crimes.

The irony is that most of the incidents of street crimes now take player in broad day light. In the past, Islamabad used to be considered a relatively safe place, but now it is marred by street crimes. Same is the case in other urban centres like Lahore, Peshawar and Faisalabad. Karachi is also in grip of crimes.There have been a large number of street robberies in Karachi in the past, but during the last few years, the way the robbers have been fearlessly targeting the victims with pistol bullets on resistance during dacoity and robbery bids, has never been seen before. According to authoritative sources, more than 250 Karachiites have been killed and over one thousand others were wounded by street robbers between 2022 and March 28, 2024. This  data was presented before a high-level security meeting earlier this year.Security agencies say that the last three years have seen a great increase  in violent street crimes which can be guaged from the report which shows that before 2022 the number of citizens killed by street criminals was at around 30, but the figure rose to 111 citizens during the 12 months of 2022. In 2023, 126 were killed by muggers while during the first three months of current year over fifty were killed. Contrary to the government's efforts and steps of controlling the situation, crimes are not decreasing, but increasing.It means that the criminals have become highly sophisticated and as such something extra needs to be done to combat them.Police high ups have admitted in a conversation with the media that the incidents of killing and wounding on resistance are increasing.  According to them, 400 incidents of street crime are reported daily and 80,000 annually in Karachi. Describing street crime as a major challenge for the police, they claimed that strict crackdown on criminals is ongoing, many suspects have been arrested, 64% of cases of killing citizens during robbery have been traced and 67 officers have been allocated for investigation.

The provincial police high ups have acknowledged the increase in vehicle theft and drug trafficking and assured that steps are being taken to improve police performance. However, the police  have been making such claims before, but instead of improving the situation, the situation is getting worse. Looting has been the easier and safer way for the street criminal to decam with the booty. The availability of easy black markets of stolen mobile phones, valuables and jewelery is also a reason to boost the morale of criminals. It is said that when people move to big cities in search of livelihood, the crime rate goes up along with the population pressure.  On the average, around one hundred and thirty street crimes are reported every day since the start of the holy month.  Every few minutes, a Karachiite loses valuables including mobile phones and cash. The alarming thing is that the suspects do not even delay in firing during the incident on resistance, due to which the people visiting the markets are scared.  Over the past years, if not decades, the situation of street crimes in the megapolis is that it is difficult to find every other citizen who has not fallen into the hands of street criminals at least once. From pedestrians to motorcyclists and car riders, everyone is a target for criminals.  On the other hand, the citizens say that most of the street crimes go unreported and people avoid getting caught by the police. People have to visit the markets for the essential purchases, but most people seem scared.