Another force!

The Government of Sindh has decided to launch a new, dedicated anti-narcotics force as the infamous 'Pinky' drug trafficking case continues to unfold. While the plan is well-intentioned, it represents a fundamentally flawed approach to law enforcement – one that mistakenly relies on creating new agencies every time a high-profile case arises. The plan carries a host of cons: an entirely new institutional layer threatens jurisdictional overlap, inflate administrative costs and further complicate the security apparatus in vogue. Rather than a new force, the government needs the political will to empower and hold accountable the law enforcement agencies already mandated to curb drug trafficking.

The reality is that Sindh already boasts a vast security network, featuring police and excise departments, delegated to tackle the illicit narco trade. This is apart from the ANF which has a Regional Directorate in Karachi operating under federal mandate with the explicit authority to investigate, prosecute and dismantle drug networks across the province. Establishing a parallel force rightly questions the utility of these existing institutions if they are bypassed every time a high-profile case comes up. Creating new agencies is tantamount to a vote of no-confidence in the existing security network as well as an admission of failure to fix their systemic vulnerabilities, such as corruption and a lack of modern equipment.

Having said that, the government's vision to focus on technological modernisation does merit praise. The proposal to create a drone unit constitutes forward-thinking and needs to be pursued in letter and spirit. This advanced technology should also be integrated into existing agencies to upgrade their operational capabilities.

While cases like the one centring 'Pinky' call for a more aggressive anti-drug strategy, adding new layers of bureaucracy is a distraction from the real cure. The provincial government, instead of creating new forces, should focus on reforming, funding and technologically arming the law enforcement structures that are already in place.