Human beings need economic and physical security and peace of mind and it is the duty of governments to ensure these. Things are, however, not satisfactory in Karachi, the capital of Sindh and Pakistan’s largest city and the country’s financial and industrial hub. In September, 18 people were killed either in targeted killings or while resisting armed robberies, according to the figures released by the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) on Oct 8. The CPLC said 26 cars and 147 motorcycles were hijacked at gunpoint and 163 cars and 2,806 motorcycles stolen in September. There are reports that lately rickshaws too are being stolen. Last month also saw a spike in snatching of mobile phones as 1,737 handsets were taken away by muggers at gunpoint. An incident of kidnapping for ransom and three cases of extortion also were reported during September. This shows how emboldened criminal elements have become lately. On Oct 8, a 30-year-old man was shot dead by robbers riding a motorcycle when he resisted them in Latif Town police limits. The victim worked at a roadside eatery. He was targeted in the wee hours while returning home from work. Early in the morning on Oct 3, a young female university student was shot dead by robbers in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
Mugging victims say robbers usually intercept vehicles at potholes where automobiles slow down. At present most roads in the city are full of potholes, ditches and large craters. The problem is compounded by gutter overflows. So the rising incidents of vehicle hijacking and mugging should not come as a surprise. Civic conditions in Karachi have long been in a state of neglect. The pathetic state of roads is being blamed on gutter overflows. Government functionaries say gutters are choked because some elements have placed rocks inside them. One fails to understand what is stopping the government from acting against such elements when the former has all the coercive powers at its disposal. The delay in doing the needful remains an irreducible mystery.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2019.
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