Karachi's crime culture

There is little debate left about Karachi's liveability as it plunges further into disorder every year, especially when compared with other big cities of Pakistan. But one question will always remain unanswered - do citizens get the government they deserve, or does the government instigate citizens into living anarchically? Regardless, it comes as no surprise that an inflation-ridden land with barely any social protection is, according to the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), reporting an uptick in crime and a deteriorating law and order situation.

Recent statistics revealed by the CPLC highlight an alarming trend in terms of snatchings, thefts and even murders. To illustrate - where there were 7,308 motorcycles stolen or snatched in the first five months of 2025, the year 2026 saw a staggering number of 16,031 for the same crime during the same time period. An almost 120% surge represents the growing frustrations of a society so deeply embedded in helplessness and misery that it sees no choice other than to condemn others to the same fate.

But perpetrators aside, the law enforcement agencies in Karachi appear to be steeped in that same helplessness which ostensibly prevents them from doing their jobs. Perhaps it is the condition of the roads that deters them from following criminals and carrying out due process! Or perhaps it is heatwave-induced confusion that makes them take wads of cash instead of filing a charge sheet! Whatever it may be, Karachi seems to be operating without a functional framework for law and order.

The persistence of street crime in this city is gradually being recognised as its culture - but that is dangerous territory. Conversations must again shift away from individual protection and instead towards state accountability. The people of Karachi deserve better than this sense of fear they carry around like a pocketknife.