Karachi will always matter

While targeted killings have gone on unabated, and extortion and abduction for ransom have increased manifold in Karachi, the attitude of provincial government and police on display during the Supreme Court rehearing of the Karachi law and order situation case has either been one of indifference or denial. The Sindh Advocate-General told the court that between January 1 and October 20 as many as 1,800 people were killed in the city of teeming millions. When asked what measures the government had taken to curb violence he had no answer but to delve into his sports vocabulary to say that "the score for today's killings was six." Apparently, he had tried to prove that the situation was improving since the average rate of daily 'targeted' killings reported by the media is ten. To further rationalise the appalling law and order conditions in Karachi, the AG and the Home Secretary reasoned that the situation in Balochistan was worse than Karachi, and that the murder rate in that city and Lahore was almost the same. The comparison makes little sense. Balochistan's is a completely different story. What is going on there is a full-blown insurgency. And the apex court is fully focused on preventing extra-judicial killings and disappearances in that restive province. As for Lahore, law and order may be a lot less than satisfactory, yet the nature and level of crime there has no commonality with Karachi. Since the cause of trouble in the Sindh capital and other parts of the country are different, so would be solutions. It may be recalled that during last year's hearing of the Karachi case, the provincial police chief had told the court that 40 percent of officers in his department had been recruited on political grounds and, therefore, he was reluctant to act decisively. In its judgement on October 6 of last year, the court had also noted intelligence agencies' reports that some criminal groups operating in the city either enjoyed political backing or were part of political parties, which included MQM, ANP, PPP, Jamaat-e-Islami as well as some banned religious outfits. It is obvious that only when it is free of political influence can the police perform its duties in an impartial and effective manner. The PPP, which leads the coalition governments both in the province and at the Centre, has the primary responsibility to stop political interference in the police affairs. So far they have shown no inclination to do the needful. The recommendations the SC bench made in its last year's judgement were ignored completely. Considerations of coalition politics in the province keep coming in the way. Earlier this year when the city's business community observed a shutter-down strike to protest the increasing incidents of extortion, Interior Minister Rehman Malik threw up his hands, telling business people to fight the extortionists themselves, for which he said he would ensure a quick and easy arms licensing process. He had offered the same advice to journalists. This is a recipe for more trouble in a city already bristling with all sorts of weapons. Besides, the offer amounts to admission on the government's part that it has failed to do its constitutional duty to protect the citizens' life and property. Before things totally spin out of the government's control, it must pay attention to the SC's latest recommendations that call for de-politicisation of the police force and cancellation of all non-computerised arms licences within six months. And to address the usual complaint that courts tend to release criminals arrested by law enforcement agencies, the police must improve its investigation reports so they can stand scrutiny in the courts. Law must also cover all the existing lacunae. It is worthwhile to note here that the Sindh Additional Home Secretary grumbled before the SC bench that more than 8,000 people arrested for possession of illegal weapons were being released on bail by courts. To which the SC bench pointed out that the offence is bailable. Clearly, fresh legislation is required on the subject. More importantly, a sound witness protection system is in order to strengthen the prosecution system. But before everything, a strong political will to act is needed.