ISLAMABAD: In a bizarre yet troubling incident just days before Eidul Azha, four armed robbers hijacked a Qingqi rickshaw transporting three sacrificial sheep at gunpoint in Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil area, police said on Friday.
The incident occurred on Thursday and has raised fresh concerns about security in the lead-up to the festive season, when animal thefts tend to spike.
According to the FIR lodged at the local police station, the complainant Mohammed Rashid Saleem reported that he had purchased three sheep and was transporting them in his Qingqi rickshaw when four armed men on two motorcycles intercepted him. “The suspects snatched the rickshaw along with the animals at gunpoint and fled,” the FIR stated. In addition to stealing the livestock and vehicle, the robbers also took cash and a mobile phone from the victim.
Police Action and Accountability
Reacting swiftly, Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) Karachi, Javed Alam Odho, took notice of the incident and issued immediate orders for disciplinary action. He suspended the Station House Officer (SHO) of Azizabad Police Station for one year due to negligence.
The AIG further instructed police officials to arrest the suspects and recover the stolen animals and rickshaw within three days. He warned that failure to comply would result in strict legal consequences.
Rising Security Concerns Ahead of Eid
As Eidul Azha approaches, thousands of citizens head to livestock markets to purchase sacrificial animals, often spending large sums—sheep typically cost more than Rs30,000.
This spike in market activity has made buyers and traders frequent targets of theft. In a similar incident in 2023, five animals worth Rs800,000 were stolen from a locked shop in Orangi Town, prompting debate in the Sindh Assembly about security lapses. With incidents like these becoming more common, the need for increased police vigilance around cattle markets has never been greater.
