TWO innocents are dead. Amina, 26, and her father, Imran Arif, 60, were killed this Monday when a speeding SUV rammed into their motorcycle on a service lane along Karachi’s Karsaz Road. Amina, who was working part-time while studying for an MBA degree, and her father, who sold bread on a cycle in the morning and snacks in the evening, did not deserve this tragic end. In CCTV footage shared widely on social media, a white Land Cruiser, believed to be driven by a woman, Natasha, portrayed in the media as coming from a wealthy family, can be seen hurtling recklessly down the service lane before it crashes into the motorbike on which the father and daughter are travelling. The impact is so severe that it tosses the victims into the air, but the SUV keeps moving. The vehicle damaged three motorcycles and another car before finally turning turtle. It also left three more people injured.

The public is understandably furious. Shock over the loss of life has quickly morphed into rage against the country’s elite. Conflicting and confusing statements from police authorities have fed the belief that a ‘cover-up’ is in progress. ‘There will be no justice,’ goes the refrain. “Only the underprivileged are punished in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” an influencer has posted on social media. The people are pointing to a long list of reckless driving incidents involving the rich and powerful in which the perpetrators walked away. However, though the anger is understandable, it must not be allowed to hurt the case. The charges that are brought against the perpetrator should be appropriate and airtight so that the victims can get the justice they deserve. Adding needless sections to the FIR or interference in the investigation can go in the perpetrators’ favour in such cases. There must be zero tolerance for any lenience, but the investigators must be allowed to do their job without fear or favour.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024