Two men on a motorcycle intercepted a group of students outside a private university in Karachi on Tuesday, snatching bags at gunpoint in a brazen display of lawlessness.
CCTV footage of the incident, which has since circulated widely on social media, shows the suspects cornering the students on the sidewalk. One rider brandished a pistol, forcing the victims to hand over their belongings before the pair sped away toward a nearby main road.
The students were reportedly heading to a lecture when the encounter occurred. No injuries were reported, though the victims were left shaken.
Street crime in Karachi has reached a breaking point. Residents and students alike say the frequency of these daylight robberies has turned routine commutes into high-stakes gambles. Despite repeated claims from the police that they are increasing patrols in academic zones, the reality on the ground remains unchanged.
“We don’t feel safe even walking from the bus stop to the campus gate,” said a student who witnessed the aftermath. “The police reports are filed, but the bikes and bags are never recovered. It’s as if the streets belong to them now.”
Local authorities have yet to identify the suspects, though they claim the footage is being analyzed to track the motorcycle’s registration.
For the thousands of students navigating the city’s roads daily, the incident serves as a grim reminder that law enforcement’s presence in Karachi’s education hubs is far from adequate. Until the police move beyond recording incidents and start curbing the cycle of violence, students remain the city’s most vulnerable targets.
