SHIKARPUR has become a notorious hub for dacoits in rural Sindh. Robberies and kidnappings have become everyday occurrences. Such incidents have instilled a sense of fear among Shikarpur’s residents. Troubled by the worsening situation, the local people have more than once taken to the streets, demanding peace and protection for themselves and their children, but there has been no change in the ground reality.

People keep wondering why the local influential individuals take no action against the criminals. The general perception is that they take no action against the criminals because they are the ones who happen to be the real culprits behind rising lawlessness. They support and protect the criminals and hinder any effort that the police force makes in this regard. Whenever arrests are made, the same influential people intervene to have them released.

People also wonder who supplies the criminals with advanced weapons and ammunition, and how the supply chain has remained intact all these years. Are the authorities in Sindh unaware of this phenomenon, or is there some kind of collusion?

According to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), robbery carries a minimum three-year imprisonment, extendable up to 14 years. Under Section 363, kid-

napping is punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine. Despite these laws, justice remains elusive due to widespread corruption within the system. The influentials bribe their way out of trouble every time.

The riverine areas of Sindh have been plagued by lawlessness since the 1980s. Successive operations by law-enforcement agencies against the criminals have failed time and again. The government must take stringent measures to ensure people’s safety, especially in Shikarpur.

Komal Zulfiqar
Shikarpur

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2024