EDITORIAL: Daring daylight dacoities and shop-burgling cases in several localities of Karachi, particularly Nizamabad … have ten­ded to create a sense of insecurity among law-abiding citizens. … Suspicious characters, ruffians and robbers with or without arms, are unusually active and their audacity seems to be increasing with every successful exploit. In fact, emboldened adventurers have lately gone to the extent of giving advance notice of their evil intentions, demanding ransom and returning to collect it. …

While it will be unfair to say that this state of affairs betrays a general want of confidence in the capacity or performance of the City Police, there is no escape from the conclusion that the rise in crimes has shaken the implicit faith that this force used to command. The reasons are not far to seek. Nine times out of ten the culprits get away. … Besides, the experience of passing through Thana proceedings is at times frustrating for a self-respecting person. A stock excuse that was trotted out by the authorities to explain away repeated failures was the shortage of manpower and lack of equipment. Recent recruitments and resource provision have made up for that deficiency.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023