Hide belongings “where they can’t get stolen”: Pak Minister’s novel idea to foil snatchers

Karachi [Pakistan]: As the crime rate continues to rise in Karachi, Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz, the caretaker Interior Minister for Sindh, advised the citizens to keep their cell phones in places where they cannot be stolen, Geo News reported.

The city of Karachi has been plagued by street crime, with the theft of motorcycles and mobile phones being particularly common.

Videos of people being robbed by snatchers crop up on social media every other day, but the matter has not been resolved by the government.

In a recent statement, the interim CM said: “Keep your mobile phones in those places where they can’t get stolen. Another piece of advice is to keep your phones in the hidden pockets,” as reported by Geo News.

The citizens should also cooperate with the government and police to help them reduce crimes.

Internet users slammed the interim minister for recommending a creative strategy to protect people’s belongings from snatchers in response to his statement.

This is not the first time a government representative has said something similar. Last year, the then-police chief of Karachi, Javed Alam Odho, refuted claims that crime is on the rise in the city while blaming the city’s business community for creating a sense of insecurity through media.

Later, he termed a safe city project as essential for a big city, claiming that without one, it would be impossible to curb street violence.

Over 21,000 instances of street crimes were reported in the port city in the first three months of 2023, Geo News reported.