Security at Asia's biggest sacrificial animal market is on high alert as Sindh police on Sunday declared 20 adjacent areas as dacoits' havens. According to sources, the Sindh police on the intelligence report directed to all concerned police stations to take strict security measures as some 20 surrounding areas of animal market have been identified as dacoits' dens.
They said although the cattle market, spreading around 800 acres, has been set up where animals including cows, buffalos, camels, goats and sheep are brought to Karachi from Mirpurkhas, Tharushah, Umer Kot, Nawabshah, Badin and some other areas of interior Sindh, the same also raised security risks.
They said the dacoits, who are also active on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha festival, established their dens to run illegal activity. The dacoits, who come out of their hideouts after sunset, remained active till dawn, depriving visitors from their valuables.
Several complaints in this regard were registered at Saachal and Sohrab Goth police stations where the complainants identified the culprits as Afghani and Sindhi.
They said the Karachiites, who used to visit animal market at night, were fallen victim to these culprits and lost their car tapes, cash and even sacrificial animals at market.
They said the department identified Gulshan Maymar, Chakar hotel, Link road, Aub Goth, Shad Bagh Mor, Jamali Goth, Machar colony, Ganna Mandi, Gawalia, Kaneez Fatima society, University road, Madras Chowk, Suparco Chowk, Chappal Sun City, Madina colony, Super Highway, etc, where most of the robbery incidents were reported.
The visitors regretted that the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) as like past have not taken any security measure to maintain law-and-order situation at cattle market.
They said these incidents, which have been going on for last several years, have now increased and the involvement of some law enforcers could not be ruled out. They also alleged that the LEAs are hand in glove with the wrongdoers in running their illicit activities.
However, SP Altaf Awan claimed to have deployed over 200 security personnel from East Zone and other police stations in animal market to maintain law-and-order situation. He said the department has also established a complaint center in the market to facilitate the Karachiites and added that the deployment of security personnel would be increased in coming days. They said that the department with the assistance of traffic police evolved comprehensive plan for maintaining security in the market.
Needless to mention, over two hundred tents were installed at Super Highway cattle market. The soaring prices of the sacrificial animals are creating difficulties for Karachities to pay their religious obligations. According to estimates, the city's cattle market is facing a shortage of over 100,000 sacrificial animals due to recent floods in Sindh this year.