CELLPHONE snatching, dacoity, extortion and kidnappings for ransom have become common in Karachi. Law-enforcement agencies have failed to stop these crimes. Targeted killings in the metropolitan city also continue and are yet unstoppable.

Recently a friend of mine was coming out of his office in Clifton near Boating Basin when muggers took away his mobile phone, cash, watch and credit cards. He went to the Clifton police station near Park Towers to register an FIR. The police constable advised him to write an application in Urdu. It is good that Urdu is given preference, but I hope that translators are present in police stations if anyone writes application in English so that he/she can translate it into Urdu.

My friend told me that the policeman did not ask him about anything regarding the incident. He even didn’t bother to ask what the muggers looked like, which mobile phone they took away, and how much cash was in his wallet.

This is disappointing.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi