Bloody streets of Karachi

The inexorable rise in street crime has been a perennial issue for the citizens of Karachi. This year is the same as statistics indicate that more than 56,500 incidents of street crimes were reported in the city — including 19,000 mobiles snatched, and 104 cars as well as 1,383, bikes forcefully stolen. A greater cause for concern is that criminals show no remorse, with 56 people killed and 269 sustaining injuries during incidents.

Conceding to these facts, Karachi police chief AIG Javed Alam Odho promised the business community that “all-out” measures would soon be taken to improve the deteriorating situation. This was said following a controversial statement he made a while ago, that by raising voice against street crimes the business community was “shooting itself in the foot”. The fact remains that the Sindh police and other law-enforcing agencies are complicit in such crimes by forming connections with powerful mafias while also carrying out crimes in civil clothing themselves. For long, the narrative of Karachi’s crime rate was built around political parties, in particular the MQM which had a stronghold in much of the city and were notoriously known for committing felonies and extortion. Now that their reign has ebbed and street crimes still continue unabated, it indicates two distinct things, as follows:

One, the root of the problem lies elsewhere. Karachi is the financial centre of the country and a melting pot of different communities who migrate here to earn a living. However, high-inflation coupled with unemployment and lack of opportunities have forced citizens and migrants to resort to petty crimes or corruption. Desperation, ignorance and poverty have forced many to become hardened criminals. Two, there are bigger mafias operating in the underbelly of Karachi that want to maintain the status quo. Karachi a hub of corruption and ill-gotten wealth. Those tied to this will do all in their power to let the law of the jungle prevail.

All this has led to the blood of the common man spilling on to the streets as they constantly find themselves caught in the mix. Criminals no longer flinch at taking lives of innocent people, many of whom are hard-earners trying to put food on the table for their families. The streets of Karachi now need to be cleansed through the systematic dismantling of criminal dens. Moreover, officials should think of tackling the issue from a socio-economic perspective. The ultimate goal is to stop producing criminals, instead of putting them behind bars.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2022.

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