Pakistan sets record with more than 2700 killed in criminal attacks

The year 2013 was the bloodiest and most crime-ridden in Pakistan's history, with more than 2,700 people killed, regional and federal police units say. Data released by the Sindh Police and Rangers indicated despite stepped-up operations by the agencies, the number of reported crimes soared to 41,000 for the year, the Express Tribune reported Monday. More than 40 percent of the suspects arrested were in 2,300 targeted raids in the last four months of the year by the Rangers, a federal security force, after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a crackdown in September. The Sindh Police, which protects the province surrounding the major commercial city of Karachi, and Rangers reported conducting more than 9,200 raids in which nearly 14,000 suspects were arrested. Nearly 8,500 weapons were found in the raids. Some 3,356 people wanted in court cases were the largest group arrested, the report said. People arrested for gun violations made up the second largest group while about 1,400 arrested under anti-narcotics laws for the third largest. The data indicated most major crimes declined after the fall crackdown began. The year was also the deadliest for law enforcement, with as many as 172 policemen killed in Karachi. Some 19 Rangers also died. Some 105 suspected criminals were killed by law enforcement.