KarachiThe special task force set up to take on the cell phone snatchers in Karachi, called by Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz earlier this year, has failed to meet the expectations for which it was specifically set up.



The task force which was set up on the 11th of July earlier of year has failed to stop the incidents of cell phone snatching as on an average 77 people are deprived of their cell phones everyday.



According to the sources, 25,700 cell phones have either been snatched or stolen since January this year.



Around 10,000 cell phones were snatched at gunpoint across the city while around 16,000 cell phones have been reported to be stolen. In the last half of November, more than 1500 cell phones have been snatched or stolen.



But the police spokesman has given a different picture of the situation altogether. According to them only 251 cellphones were snatched during the period, out of which 91 had been recovered.



The duty assigned to the task force was to carry out a survey of the markets where the stolen phones were sold or purchased. The task force gathers information about the persons involved in the racket including snatchers, middle-men, shopkeepers, and then carry out raids to arrest suspects red-handedly.



Sources have revealed that some suspects have been arrested resulting in the recovery of more than 100 cell phones. Indeed, a depressing performance by the special task force.



The sale of stolen cell phones is carried in various markets in the city and the security features of these mobile phones are also altered in some specified shops of the city.







Source