Inequality and crime

The Barkhan incident, involving the alleged murder of a woman and her two children and several abductions, is a reminder of the magnitude of criminality in Pakistan. That the case involves a sitting minister accused of running a private jail and previously apprehended on charges of abduction makes it all the more serious.

The issue is also one of class, with the courts and law enforcement agencies failing to protect the poor from the powerful. It is through incidents like these that we can see the crucial role economic development and equality plays in upholding law and order.

Hussain Siddiqui

Islamabad