HELLO

Robbers walk away with wishes of sick children

KARACHI: As worshippers across the city were observing the holy night of Ramazan 27, there was a group of robbers snatching wishes of sick children.

NGO Make-A-Wish Foundation’s office on the second floor of Clifton Centre was looted by at least two suspected robbers on Saturday night. The robbers stole cash and several presents that were wrapped to be distributed among sick children on Eid.

The entire theft has been captured on CCTV cameras installed at the office. It showed two men comfortably stealing cash, gifts and other valuables. “We are now compelled to think about what kind  of country we are living in?” said Make-A-Wish Foundation Pakistan’s founding president Ishtiaq Baig while talking to The Express Tribune. “Depriving people of cash or valuables was not a big deal in Karachi but what kind of people deprive sick children, who are already fighting for their lives at hospitals, of their last wishes?”

The foundation had plans to fulfil the wishes of at least 10 children but the robbers took away their gifts of clothes and toys. Determined to not upset the children, the foundation arranged for replacement gifts at the last minute, said Baig.

He shared how their colleagues in other parts of the world have called to share how shocked they were with the news. “We received seven emails from seven different countries condemning the incident,” said Baig. “All of them were saying, ‘Is this Pakistan where social organisations have also become a victim of crime’.”

Besides the gifts, the robbers also took away the salaries of at least 10 workers, including coordinators, managers and drivers as well as some donations. “Nearly Rs500, 000 cash including salaries and donations, two laptops and two cameras were stolen,” he listed, adding that they have shared security camera footage with Boat Basin police.

Second target in one night

The looting at Make-A-Wish Foundation did not satisfy the robbers, who decided to move to other offices on the second floor of the building. They made their way to Zubairi Associates, a prominent law firm where one of the associates is the son of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

Around Rs300,000 in cash and a laptop were looted from the law firm,” said DSP Tariq Nawaz. The police collected evidence and security footage from both offices but have yet to make any arrests.

A police officer claimed, however, to have made a major breakthrough in these cases and said they will be making arrests soon. Boat Basin police have registered case against unidentified persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2016.