People on Twitter have managed to find humour in their misery as many recounted their experiences of being mugged in Pakistan.
The trend started when a user narrated his ‘favorite’ story of a robbery in Karachi. The user said that a person who worked for them had his motorbike stolen on gunpoint but the robbers were kind enough to drop him home on the same bike first.
my favorite karachi story is still this guy who works for me had his motorbike stolen at gunpoint in korangi. the guys who stole it gave him a ride back home on his motorbike, before riding away with it. brilliant. we're just good people in this city.
— HawkesBay (Løuche) (@HawkesBay) September 13, 2021
Others jumped on the thread to recall their own stories. In a rather comically grim account, a user was shot at during the robbery, but the mobile snatchers dialled her cousins randomly the next day to inquire if she was doing well.
In 2004 I was shot during mobile snatching and the next day my cousins randomly were getting calls from the snatchers, “wo kaisi hain ab, hum goli chalana nahi chahtay thay”.
— Farheen Rizvi (@FarriRizvi) September 13, 2021
Another user recalled that he was caught at gunpoint outside an ATM. The thieves allowed him to clear his phone before running away and later asked him to withdraw more cash to keep his phone in exchange. The user gave the robbers an extra Rs2000 for their mercifulness.
I got mugged outside ATM, they took cash and phone. I asked them to let me clear my phone, they said Jo karna hai jaldi karo. Then one of the Chor says, ATM say 5k aur dedo and phone rakhlo, I said "Allah ka wada karo", gave them 7k more and got phone back 😅
— Daniyal Kashif (@daniyal_94) September 13, 2021
One user narrated the thievery that unfolded at her grandmother’s place. She said her grandmother berated the robbers, who in turn made her a glass of Tang and said the robbery wasn’t personal and they were just ‘desperate’.
ok best one is from the robbery at my nani's place and when she was insulting the thieves, one of them made tang for her and told her that it's not personal rather they're just desperate https://t.co/pbx8uMj4XO
— yusra ४ FREE PALESTINE (@wastelandkilos) September 16, 2021
In another instance, a user’s uncle was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he walked into an ongoing robbery at a bakery to buy a cake. When the uncle declared he was getting a cake for his daughter, good fortune befell him, and the robbers directed him to take whatever he wanted. The user said her uncle took five cakes home that day.
Uncle went to a bakery to get a cake for his daughter's birthday. He entered while the store was being robbed. They took his wallet and everything. Then Uncle requested that he was here for a cake for his daughter. Dakoo bhai said jo lena hai utha lo. Uncle took 5 cakes home.
— 🐾👻 (@Lanaschild_) September 13, 2021
The robbers in another incident turned out to be fearful of tears as they left their victim’s phone alone when she sobbed that she wanted to delete her pictures and data before they took it away. The robbers said they couldn’t bear to see the woman cry.
Dakoos who came to my house were taking our phones away and I was in tears. My sis asked if I'm ok? I said, no they're taking my phone away atleast let me delete pictures and take out imp work data. They left my phone saying, nae aise rote hue nae dekh sakte hum. 🤡
— A. (@ninacaresforu) September 13, 2021
Dacoits were reportedly just hungry in another story as they ate club sandwiches made by the mother of their victim. They initially went for the laptop but when the man insisted that his life’s work would be lost, the robbers graciously left with filled stomachs and a few other items.
Dakoos who came to my house were taking our phones away and I was in tears. My sis asked if I'm ok? I said, no they're taking my phone away atleast let me delete pictures and take out imp work data. They left my phone saying, nae aise rote hue nae dekh sakte hum. 🤡
— A. (@ninacaresforu) September 13, 2021
The original poster had seemingly realized hunger was a cause behind the incidents and claimed they carried around KFC vouchers for robbers. They said that they used to add the vouchers to ‘gift-packs’ for robbers, which also included a $20 bill, a Casio watch, a decoy phone, and pamphlet of religious prayers to boot. The user amusingly claimed that they gave away several hampers and received quite a few blessings in return.