In the past two months, Sindh has witnessed a surge in abductions, with more than 200 citizens and businessmen falling victim to dacoit gangs. Approximately 50 of the kidnapped people were only released after hefty ransom payments, highlighting the grim reality of lawlessness plaguing the province. These claims emerged in an Express News story.
The Sindh government, particularly the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), appears to have overlooked the escalating law and order crisis, showing a lack of seriousness in addressing the issue. Consequently, the peace situation has deteriorated, exacerbating an already dire situation.
Traditionally, dacoit gangs in Sindh employed tactics like honey traps to target traders and citizens. However, their audacity has now escalated to the point where they brazenly target transporters and traders on the National and Super Highways.
Statistics from the Central Police Office paint a grim picture, revealing that 81 individuals were abducted in the Sukkur and Larkana regions alone. Alarmingly, 59 of them were only freed after ransom payments or through other means. Shockingly, many of these incidents went unreported, with only 35 cases officially registered.
Similar trends were observed in other districts, with Ghotki, Shikarpur, and Kashmore bearing the brunt of dacoit activity. Despite the caretaker government’s departure and the PPP’s assumption of control, no effective strategy has been formulated to combat the rampant dacoitry. Instead, incidents of robbery continue to escalate, particularly in areas like Sukkur, exacerbating the sense of insecurity among residents.
