PESHAWAR — As Eid-ul-Adha approaches, Peshawar has witnessed a sharp increase in violent crimes, with a series of daylight robberies and armed assaults sparking fear among residents and traders alike.
In the latest incident, armed bandits looted Rs. 600,000 from a local medicine trader in broad daylight. The victim, Haji Hidayatullah, son of Haji Muhammad Alam and a resident of Noor Street in Faqirabad, was on his way to Alfalah Bank on GT Road after collecting earnings from his shop in Namak Mandi.
As he approached a petrol pump on Changarabad Road, two unidentified men on a Honda 125 motorcycle intercepted him at gunpoint, snatched the cash, and fled towards the supply gate area.
Following the incident, DSP Faqirabad Umar Afridi, accompanied by the investigation team, arrived at the scene, recorded eyewitness accounts, and secured CCTV footage from nearby cameras. However, the suspects remain at large.
This robbery adds to a growing list of alarming incidents in the city. In one tragic case, Sher Rehman, a shopkeeper and resident of Science College, was shot dead near Chowk Nasir Khan in the jurisdiction of Kotwali police station. The assailants escaped with Rs. 800,000.
In another violent episode, armed robbers targeted a gas filling plant on Warsak Road, looting Rs. 3.5 million and fatally shooting the watchman. Similarly, a businessman on Canal Road was robbed of Rs. 2.1 million. Police managed to apprehend the main suspect in that case and recovered a significant portion of the stolen amount.
Meanwhile, Ezzat, a laboratory technician at Hayatabad Medical Complex and a resident of Matni, was robbed of his motorcycle and shot during the attack.
Authorities attribute the rising crime rate to increasing inflation, unemployment, and deteriorating economic conditions, which have made businesses and individuals vulnerable, especially in the days leading up to Eid.
While the Peshawar police claim to have arrested and injured several suspects in recent encounters, killing at least one, the crime wave shows no signs of slowing. Citizens are urging law enforcement to intensify security, particularly around busy commercial zones and non-traditional crime hotspots, as thieves expand their targets beyond the expected cattle markets. The mounting incidents have raised serious concerns about public safety in the provincial capital, with growing calls for immediate and effective action.
Read also: Peshawar Police nab robbers, recover looted cash in hours in Bank robbery heist
