Karachi’s crime crisis
Twice in two months now business owners and traders in Karachi have demanded the army chief, the Sindh CM and the IGP take notice of the rising crime in the country’s economic hub. The latest call came two days after the owner of an embroidery workshop, Asif Balwani, was gunned down in the upscale Defence Housing Authority. The incident was termed an attempted robbery by police. However, it made little sense that the robbers would target a man and then leave the Rs1 million he had just withdrawn from a bank untouched, along with his cellphone and other valuables. Balwani’s killing came hardly a week after five brothers, owners of a renowned ice cream parlour in Karachi, were targeted in broad daylight in purportedly a revenge attack. Two of the brothers died on the spot, two others were injured, and the third remained unscathed.
According to stats gathered from various police stations in the city, at least 75 people have been killed in violent street crimes since the start of this year. District East is in the lead with 19 incidents, closely followed by districts West and Korangi with 17 and 14 incidents respectively. Feeling safe and walking freely, without the fear of being mugged and/or killed, has become a luxury for Karachiites.
It is bizarre that the army chief is urged to intervene in a matter that the LEAs should be well-prepared to tackle. To avoid going down this treacherous path again, provincial and local authorities must take immediate measures to bolster the police, improve intelligence sharing and ensure regular patrols in high-crime areas. Moreover, investing in community policing, upgrading surveillance infrastructure and conducting comprehensive crime analysis will help create a safer environment. The impunity with which muggers and target killers continue to operate is highly unsettling. Karachi, the revenue engine of Pakistan, needs peace and order for commercial and economic activity to flourish. No doubt, maintaining law and order in a megalopolis like Karachi is difficult, but not impossible. It is imperative to stem the tide of crime to restore public confidence in law enforcement.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2024.
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