Students’ party

The police should have managed it in a more responsible and professional manner. Well, the context here is the police raid at a party organised by the students of a premier school at a private residence in an upscale neighbourhood of Karachi. The police that are otherwise known for covering up even a big-fish catch appeared more concerned about playing to the gallery rather than completing the whole action in a professionally furtive way. And the result? The October 13 party and the police raid went viral on social media in a jiffy, with everyone within the border and beyond offering their two cents on what was only treated as spicy and salacious news.

Such a lot of focus on a students’ party by the police — that already have so much on their plate ranging from street crime to organised felonies and from hardcore terrorism to rampant sleaze and corruption in a lawless and unruly city like Karachi — looked much more than necessary, to say the least. And that in turn had the whole nation glued to the scandalous content, inadvertently portraying a sensitive, susceptible and blinkered people.

At stake thus is the image of the financial hub of the country and the country itself that is trying to project itself as a vibrant, tolerant, liberal and all-embracing society open to visitors and investors from around the world. It goes without saying that the dollar-starved country is fighting for its very survival due to severe economic hardships and is faced with a persistent default on foreign financial obligations. Remember the Government of Pakistan is up against a herculean feat of arranging a gigantic eighty billion dollars or so over the next three years. And in pursuit of the colossal cause, a Special Investment Facilitation Council has been set up to attract foreign direct investment. Dare we see the police have — even if unintentionally — served against the civic and financial interests of the country?

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2023.

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