THIS is with reference to the Karachi traffic police chief’s resolve to check wrong side driving, and the rumpus in the Karachi City Council.

Few people realise there is a relationship between traffic anarchy and crime. An orderly traffic has a positive impact on citizens’ minds. It makes them law-abiding unconsciously. Look at the other way. In Karachi what is going on is not just wrong side driving; there is traffic anarchy.

Ignoring the red light, zigzagging across lanes, driving at break neck speed, halting the car or motorcycle wherever you wish, parking it in front of road eateries to block other vehicles’ movement, ceaseless honking, cussing, reversing the car and taking a u-turn on the same track, the shrieking ambulances even without any reason, police cars driving the wrong way — all this create a most damaging impact on the citizens’ minds and they think this is a city without law. This encourages them to commit crimes that go beyond the traffic domain.

Since footpaths are not ‘walkable’, people walk on roads between speeding traffic and vendors and eateries which are not just on footpaths but on roads. This is the unconscious impression every citizen gets. If the police sort out Karachi’s traffic, it will have a positive impact on the law and order situation and reduce not only street crimes but other crimes, too. But police alone cannot do it. What is needed is a holistic approach in which other government departments and agencies should get together and act.

Zamir Ahmad Khan

Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2018