Karachi man shot dead after withdrawing Rs10m from bank

KARACHI: A citizen was shot dead by armed robbers in Karachi’s Kharadar area after he withdrew Rs10 million from a bank. The suspects fled with the cash.

The victim, identified as Moin Akhtar, had just left a bank near Chariya Chowk with his 16-year-old son when motorcycle-riding robbers intercepted them.

According to police, the suspects attempted to snatch the money from Akhtar. He resisted the robbery, prompting the assailants to open fire.

Akhtar sustained serious gunshot wounds. His teenage son, with the help of people at the scene, rushed him to hospital. However, he died before reaching Civil Hospital Karachi.

Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar took notice of the incident and directed authorities to arrest those responsible.

DIG South Asad Raza also visited the crime scene and reviewed the circumstances surrounding the shooting. He said police were collecting CCTV footage from the bank and nearby cameras to identify the suspects.

The officer expressed confidence that the suspects would be arrested soon.

Relatives of the victim spoke to the media outside the hospital and said Akhtar was a private-sector employee and the father of three children.

They demanded the immediate arrest of the killers and strict punishment under the law.

The family also questioned the effectiveness of the city’s surveillance system, saying cameras were installed for monitoring traffic violations but similar technology should also help track criminals.

The incident has once again raised concerns over robberies targeting people leaving banks after withdrawing large amounts of cash. A similar incident was reported in Clifton a few days ago, in which another citizen was killed.

Meanwhile, street crime continues to pose a major security challenge in Karachi.

According to Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) figures, 5,204 street-crime incidents were reported in the city during August. The crimes included the snatching of 1,884 mobile phones, 502 motorcycles and 16 vehicles at gunpoint.

At least 44 people were killed in violent incidents during the month.

The data shows that the number of reported street-crime incidents during the first eight months of the year reached 39,098, highlighting the scale of the security challenge facing Karachi residents.