Director General Sindh Rangers Maj Gen Muhammad Saeed on Wednesday said that street criminals and robbers should be tried as terrorists under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Maj Gen Saeed said: "Their mentality cannot be overlooked. We cannot let them pick up weapons."

"We will not allow any party in Karachi to become an organisation of target killing," he warned. "There is no forgiveness for those who spread fear in the city."

The DG also complained that a recent spate of knife attacks on women, mainly in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Jauhar area in September, had been played up in media, and the entire city had consequently been "badly affected."

The DG went on to highlight the success of the Rangers' operation in Karachi, which began four years ago. He highlighted crime statistics from before 2013 to those of 2017 to 'demonstrate' the improvement in the city's law and order situation.

He said that since the operation began, there has been a significant decrease in crimes.

The DG said that while between Rs80 and 100 million was paid in extortion before 2013, in the current year, only four incidents of extortion have been reported. He added that in 2017, no terrorism-related incidents took place in Karachi.

"Fifty-five people were made victims of target killings in 2017. [Militant organisation] Ansarul Sharia was involved in 15 of the incidents," the director general said.

"In 2013, Karachi was on the sixth spot in the crime index. Today, it is at number 52," he claimed.

He added that over the past year, more than 1,400 street criminals were handed over to the police.

The DG also said that the paramilitary force's successes were made possible by the cooperation of citizens, the efforts of the government and other security forces.

"We will not tolerate any power which is against Pakistan," he said.