City in crosshairs: Police arrest drug dealers as ‘real’ culprits walk free

Business community blames police, law enforcers say politicians back criminals.

KARACHI: The police have sprung into action after the recent Supreme Court directives to control lawlessness in Karachi, but the multiple raids are not likely to improve the situation.

Even though the number of arrests continues to climb day after day, a large number of the arrested men include drug dealers and gamblers. Suspected target killers, extortionists, kidnappers and terrorists from the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other banned outfits behind major unrest in the city are still on the loose.

Business community voices out

“The police are taking action against drug peddlers and gamblers, while everyone knows that the drug dealer run their businesses under the patronage of the police,” said Sindh Tajir Ittehad chairperson Jamil Paracha while talking to The Express Tribune. “We want immediate action against extortionists, kidnappers and target killers who are directly involved in bombing, target killing and threatening the traders and shopkeepers in Karachi.”

Paracha stated that it was not the first time when the police have been told to conduct raids and make arrests, while it is doing so and criminal activities are on the rise. “They [government and law enforcement agencies] give us a relief package for 10 or 15 days by deploying law enforcers and conducting raids and arrests,” said All Karachi Tajir Ittehad chairperson Atiq Mir.

He further suggested that action should be taken against the extortionists, kidnappers and target killers, while at least 6,000 law enforcers should be deployed in the affected markets of the city permanently.

Arrests

Reportedly, the targeted operations and raids in the city began on the city on the night between Wednesday and Thursday when the police announced to conduct a full-fledged campaign against the criminal elements. The police rounded up around 150 people, mainly political workers from the Awami National Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement. However, around 95 per cent of the arrested detainees were later released on the same day after the political parties opposed the raids and arrests.

‘Criminals are criminals’

A senior police officer privy to the matter while talking to The Express Tribune said, “Our aim was to arrest the criminal elements within the political parties but we could not continue it.” He further stated that while everyone knows the kidnappers, extortionists and the killers have the backing of political parties and it is difficult to take action against them. “We have to obey the apex court’s order, the government’s directives, and political parties and business community’s demands,” he said adding that they have to perform their duty no matter who is arrested.

On Sunday night, the city police also claimed to have rounded up over 300 suspects during various raids conducted in parts of the metropolis. The suspects included local criminals, gamblers and illegal immigrants. “Karachi police conducted 142 raids and arrested 320 criminals, including 11 foreigners under the Foreigners Act and 114 drug peddlers,” said Sindh Police spokesperson. He added that 78 illicit weapons were also found.

The suspects were caught from Landhi, Korangi, Patel Para, Malir, Zaman Town, Chakra Goth, Gulberg and various other parts of the city, however, no reliable arrest of target killers, extortionists, kidnappers or terrorists from Taliban or any other banned outfit members were arrested except for the drug dealers and gamblers.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2013.