Karachi: rise in mugging

Determination of law enforcement agencies remain essential to ensure that city remains safe for mobility and residence

Street crimes in Karachi worsen as cases of mugging rise. One of the biggest challenges for the provincial government is to maintain law and order as the newly elected government takes charge of office and sifts through the list of priorities.

Although Karachi’s law enforcement agencies have, since last year, made significant progress in taking control of cases of mugging, the events of mugging leading up to murders and gunshots have yet not shown any improvement. As these crimes become malignant and uncontrollable for the law enforcement agencies, the citizens of Karachi are compelled to take law in their hands. Public burning and lynching first came to the fore when these cases spiked to their peak. People lost hope in security agencies. Following this, however, law and order became more stringent until the last couple of years ago. In the recent years, however, street crimes have gone extremely rampant and the provincial government appears a bit too adrift. These incidents serve as a glaring reminder of the risks faced by the citizens in daily life, and the vital need for continued alertness and reform in crime prevention plans.

As Karachi progresses in other areas, the determination and dedication of its law enforcement agencies remain essential to ensuring that the city remains safe for mobility and residence. Beefing up patrol units, enhancing surveillance and ensuring the efficacy of the emergency helpline are crucial in preventing mugging and related and resultant cases. The collective and coordinated efforts of the law enforcement agencies, local community and technological intervention can ensure that Karachi continues to thrive, and that intercity migration from Karachi to safer and better cities is not a phenomenon for the worse, leading to the city seeing decline in growth.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2024.

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