Karachi is once again in trouble

There was a time in Karachi that before leaving home, people used to check the conditions of the city. On the day when only one or two people were targeted in the city, it was said that today the situation in the city is normal.

In those days, the conditions in business and industrial areas in Karachi were very bad. Three to three hundred mobile phones were snatched daily. Every third citizen of Karachi was a victim of some unpleasant incident. The entire city would be shut down on a call from political parties. Most of the areas of Karachi had turned into no-go areas. This time was the worst period in the history of Karachi. I don’t know how the higher authorities in the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif realized that Karachi is the economic hub of the country, without improving the conditions here, it is not possible to stabilize the country’s economy. So the operation was started in Karachi. In those days Major General Bilal Akbar was given the responsibility of Karachi operation. He fulfilled this responsibility well and cleansed the city from criminals. The lights of Karachi returned once again. The business sector has stabilized. Nogo areas established in the city were abolished. The influence of political parties was limited and the city became a cradle of peace. But the people of Karachi could not see this prosperous period for long.

According to a report, in just five months last year, residents of Karachi lost 12,000 mobile phones. 71 vehicles were snatched at gunpoint while more than 900 vehicles were stolen. The beginning of 2023 did not turn out to be good for the people of Karachi. More than 7,000 street crimes were reported in the first month of the year. Certainly, there will be a large number of incidents which were not reported or the concerned police station, in order to save its structure, dismissed the victim on the basis of a raw report. This year the bandits also managed to target schools, hospitals, hotels and madrasas. Crime in Karachi is increasing day by day but no one is paying attention to find a permanent solution to it. Officers are temporarily transferred to quell public protests.

The question here is that why the situation in Karachi is deteriorating once again? It is no secret that there are black sheep in the government institutions who support criminals. If the accused are arrested, bribery becomes their support and sometimes the accused get leave due to lack of evidence and witnesses. Along with all these reasons, rising inflation and unemployment is also a major reason for these conditions. Where inflation has increased in the country, unemployment is also increasing. It has also become very difficult for people to get two meals a day with dignity. In such a situation, a section gets disturbed by these conditions and becomes a toy in the wrong hands. Sadly, even in today’s digital and advanced age, there are many undocumented people living in Karachi. A large number of these people are foreigners. Not all but a large number of them are involved in such incidents.

If Karachi is left alone, business will once again shift from here to other cities or other countries, which will prove to be very dangerous for the sinking economy of the country. The higher authorities have to take measures to protect the lives and property of the people of Karachi. The census is in progress, it is necessary to make it fully effective and collect the records of people living in Karachi. People living illegally in the city must be evicted. Many projects were brought forward to make Karachi a safe city, but they were not completed. The government must first install and activate CCTV cameras for surveillance across the city to make the city safe. Instead of frequent transfers of officers, steps should be taken to eliminate black sheep. Deploying the police as well as other law enforcement agencies at the regional level for security would be a good decision. Creating harmony between police and citizens is the most important need of the hour. Witnesses feel insecure, therefore shy away from testifying and this is why repeat offenders with criminal records are also easily released.

In Karachi, the number of those who were killed during robbery resistance has also increased. In this situation, instead of protecting the people, the institutions are guiding them so that there is no resistance. If this system is not changed, there will be a reaction from the people, of which there are many examples. Protection is the only way to prevent people from taking the law into their hands. Cruelty and peace cannot coexist, the government must understand this.

Note: Express News and its policy do not necessarily agree with the views of this blogger.

If you also want to write an Urdu blog for us, pick up a pen and write a 800 to 1,200 word essay with your photo, full name, phone number, Facebook and Twitter IDs and a short but concise introduction. [email protected] Email to