SARGODHA (Tahir Kamboh): A wave of crime in Sargodha has once again raised serious questions about the performance of law enforcement agencies after a trader was shot dead during a robbery on Sillanwali Road in the early evening, triggering fear across the city and strong protests by the business community.
According to details, the incident occurred near Raza Garden on Sillanwali Road when trader Sheikh Naveed was closing his shop and heading home. Two unidentified armed men riding a motorcycle intercepted him, snatched a bag containing cash, and opened indiscriminate fire while fleeing. Sheikh Naveed sustained critical gunshot injuries.
He was immediately rushed to the DHQ Teaching Hospital Sargodha in critical condition, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The assailants managed to escape with the cash-filled bag.
Following the incident, District Police Officer Sargodha Muhammad Sohaib Ashraf, along with the ASP City and a heavy police contingent, arrived at the scene. However, no breakthrough has been made so far, further angering citizens and traders.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with members of the trader community taking to the streets in protest. Traders stated that criminals have effectively taken control of the city, with robberies and street crimes becoming routine, while police action remains limited to statements.
Trader leaders questioned why citizens remain unsafe despite billions of rupees spent annually on security. They announced plans to stage strong protests during the Punjab Chief Minister’s visit to Sargodha and demanded immediate notice from the Inspector General of Punjab, along with accountability of the RPO Sargodha and district police officials for poor performance.
They warned that if the rising crime wave is not controlled, protests will be expanded across Punjab.
Police officials said raids and blockades have been set up at various locations to arrest the suspects and investigations are underway from all angles, but no arrests have been made so far.
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