Pakistan is perhaps the only country in the world where the unimaginable is the norm. Countries around the world have select pockets as no-go areas where the crime rate is high and residents are warned to exercise caution. But in Sindh, second-most populous province in the country, almost all areas seem to have been occupied by gangs of dacoits and armed robbers who silently wait for their prey and rob people of their valuables. The recent chilling murder of a teacher, Allah Rakhyo Nandwani, speaks volumes about the growing lawlessness in the province. Nandwani was teaching at a school located in a no-go area in Sindh’s Kandhkot-Kashmore area. He dared to challenge the dacoits, who apparently answered back in the only language they knew – violence. Since last year, several news reports have emerged from parts of Sindh, confirming the growing presence and dominance of armed dacoits.
In August last year, when a minor girl was found dead at a pir’s heavily and the suspect was arrested, kacha dacoits openly came in support of the said person and warned law-enforcement agencies of grave consequences if they did not release the suspect. The fact that these groups had the courage to release a recorded statement says a lot about the state of affairs in the country. The situation is not limited to rural areas. Living in Karachi now also seems as if the residents are part of some big stimulation game where they are forced to live in a lawless society, interact with multifaceted challenges, and rely on their survival instincts to remain safe. Nothing else could possibly explain the degeneration of the city and its growing crime rate. Social media is full of clips from CCTV footage, showing the various methods robbers use to snatch people’s belongings. Now, people commuting to and from the city via the highway have expressed that the area has become a hiding spot for armed dacoits.
Such situations ideally raise alarm bells for the government institutions that take all the necessary steps to ensure people’s lives and belongings. But the situation is completely different here. People’s concerns have been met with apathy, with police officials comparing data from other countries to justify that the crime rate in Karachi and other parts of Sindh is not an anomaly. If this isn’t enough, people are told to hand over their belongings to robbers without any resistance to avoid the wrath of trigger-happy armed dacoits. Then there is another tool to gaslight millions of people. Officials proudly disclose that available data suggests a decline in robberies. They do not take into account the fact that most people are so frustrated with the system that they intentionally choose not to report a crime. Pakistan’s poor security situation has led to deep divisions within society. Economic issues have further led to a state of chaos where people have no means to afford meals for their families, leading them to embrace the life of crime. Institutions responsible for maintaining law and order have their own list of issues. Underpaid and overworked officers with high levels of dissatisfaction seldom show interest in performing their duties. As reports suggest, some often participate in petty crimes, providing cover to dacoits against commissions, to make a living. Pakistani society and its institutions need a complete overhaul if we are to tread the path of prosperity and success. Government officials have to take tough decisions to maintain peace in the province. Their inaction will keep pushing the region into the abyss of chaos.