At the mercy of criminals

Listen to article

Of all the pursuits and passions that humans aspire to and strive for, peace - both mental and social - is the most sought-after goal in all socio-political settings. This is because peace lays the foundation for all achievements - intellectual, legal, social, cultural, economic, political, educational and entrepreneurial. These achievements materialise in sincerely-evolved socio-political orders. Conversely, colonially imposed, dynastically enforced and autocratically institutionalised social settings create an exclusive legal framework, wherein peace - like resources, success and services delivery - becomes an exclusive luxury for a small group, while lawlessness and deprivation become the fate of the rest. District Kashmore exemplifies the extreme manifestations of lawlessness and deprivations.

Over the past few decades, the district has systematically cultivated a toxic mix of feudalistic, tribalistic and despotic political influence which, in turn, has contributed to the emergence of one of the most underprivileged populations in the country. The shared investment against the people by all stakeholders - the state, dynastic political elite, police, bureaucracy, feudal warlords, parasitic pirs, clergy, nationalistic and religious parties and so-called journalists - has begun to bear fruit in the form of hydra-headed manifestations of lawlessness and a thriving economy of crime. For over two and a half years, the district has been burning in the inferno of lawlessness, wherein criminal entities have gradually transformed into patronised cartels and largely placed the state's writ at the barrels of their guns in Kashmore.

Armed with sophisticated weapons, criminal gangs in dozens patrol the roads and cities in the dead of night, assaulting the homes and properties of poor citizens with impunity. They shower protective mercy on the influential, patrons and well-connected, while being merciless to the citizens, including the peaceful Hindu business community. From kidnapping for ransom to the extortion industry, from bike-snatching gangs to petty theft, it is the peaceful and poor who bear the brunt the most. Also, every other shopkeeper and businessman in the district has reportedly received extortion notes or calls and paid protection money ranging from 2 to 5 million rupees. However, paying to one gang rarely provides immunity from extortion demands from others. Those who defy extortion either have their businesses attacked or are forced to leave the district. This systematically cultivated environment of dread has been paralysing day-to-day socio-economic activities and triggering exodus of citizens from the district.

One might question the citizens' complicity and ask why, unlike elsewhere, the citizens of Kashmore have not mounted meaningful resistance against the criminality or the offense industry operating in the district with impunity. Why do they resort to suffering or, in many cases, reluctantly leave their hometowns and businesses? The citizens' inaction and silent suffering are rooted in the socio-cultural and tribalistic nature of the area and a lack of a unified sense of purpose and selfless leadership. Despite the presence of a self-proclaimed civil society comprising religio-political and nationalistic parties as well as so-called journalists, public trust in this entity has eroded due to its collusion with local influentials, officials and outlaws for vested interests. In essence, all stakeholders who could have acted to restore order in the district have instead chosen to become beneficiaries of this 'offence industry' one way or the other.

Also, one might question the inaction of the State, the government and the LAEs, which arises not from the anonymity of criminals, intermediaries and patrons but from their identifiability. Now that the police command in the district has changed, citizens are counting on the police chief to deliver on the promises of peace. Whether or not the new command succeeds in arresting the rogue criminality remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: if things continue as they are, only an improbable divine intervention could save Kashmore from becoming uninhabitable for the peaceful citizens, including the Hindu business community.