Robbers strike three times in 40 minutes in Islamabad’s D-12
A gang of robbers targeted three food delivery riders within 40 minutes in Islamabad’s D-12 sector in the early hours of Saturday, in a brazen overnight crime spree. Police said the Islamabad D-12 robberies took place on the service road in D-12/4, near the old police chowki.
Officers have registered three separate cases under Section 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which covers robbery, on the complaints of the victims. A fourth robbery was reported a few hours later at Shamshad Market, a few kilometres from D-12.
How the Islamabad D-12 robberies unfolded
The first victim, Shahid Faqir, was returning after delivering an order in D-12/2 when the robbers intercepted him. They held him up and took Rs7,000 in cash along with a mobile phone worth Rs60,000.
At around 1:10am, the gang stopped a second rider, Asim Mehmood, who was on his way back from a delivery in D-12/1. Police said the robbers held him at gunpoint and looted Rs8,000 in cash and an Infinix Hot 30i mobile phone valued at Rs55,000.
Twenty minutes later, at about 1:30am, Yasin Nazar became the third target as he returned from a delivery in D-12/3. The robbers took Rs8,000 in cash and a mobile phone worth Rs68,000, then slipped away into the nearby wooded area.
Fourth robbery reported at Shamshad Market
The spree did not end in D-12. At around 5:20am, another robbery took place at Shamshad Market. Mohammad Sheraz had just arrived there on his motorcycle when a gang held him at gunpoint, looted Rs51,000 in cash and his mobile phone, and escaped.
Police have not confirmed whether the same group carried out all four robberies, but the timing and method point to a coordinated overnight spree.
Night-duty riders face growing risks
The incidents highlight the risks faced by food delivery riders, who ride through the night to complete late orders. Alone on quiet service roads in the small hours, they make easy targets for armed gangs.
The fact that three attacks happened within a few hundred metres of a police chowki is likely to draw scrutiny of night-time patrolling in the sector. Cases registered under Section 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code carry a prison sentence on conviction, and investigators will now match the victims’ accounts to trace the gang.
The capital’s security setup has been under pressure in recent months. Islamabad recently sought an extension of the Rangers deployment in the city, while other cities are turning to technology: Quetta is installing 2,900 CCTV cameras under a security project. For victims, the first step after such incidents is filing a complaint; Punjab has rolled out mobile police stations with FIR registration to make that process easier.
What happens next
Police said investigations are under way into all four incidents. The robbers who struck in D-12 disappeared into the wooded area next to the service road, and officers are expected to comb the area for clues.
Where did the Islamabad D-12 robberies take place?
The three attacks happened on the service road in D-12/4, near the old police chowki. A fourth robbery was reported at Shamshad Market, a few kilometres away.
How much was looted in the robberies?
The gangs took Rs74,000 in cash in total across the four incidents, along with four mobile phones, three of them valued at Rs60,000, Rs55,000 and Rs68,000.
Which law applies to these cases?
Police registered the cases under Section 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with robbery and carries a prison term on conviction.
