An emergency

The son of the Sindh chief justice was kidnapped on June 20 at 2:30pm. The unfortunate incident took place in broad daylight at an upscale and busy shopping area of Clifton. It was witnessed by dozens of shoppers, drivers and armed guards. No one came forward to help or report the matter on any emergency number to any law-enforcement agency. The Sindh police got to know of this incident at 9:10pm. Six hours and forty minutes are long enough to relocate a person 300-400 kms away from the scene of the accident. The elapsed time adds mountains of complexity to any investigation.

Why did the witnesses refuse to inform the police and why did it take the police six hours and forty minutes to learn about such a major event? The citizens are simply too scared to have any interaction with the police. There is a strong perception that a person reporting a crime would himself undergo a laborious and unfriendly process of police interrogation. Unlike the rest of the world, Karachi has numerous emergency phone numbers. Most countries of the world have a single phone number for all types of emergencies. Is it too much to ask for a single emergency phone number that is common to all types of emergencies and all parts of Pakistan? A number that is trusted by citizens and where one is treated with respect and civility.

Naeem Sadiq

Karachi