President Azif Ali Zardari, while presiding over a law and order meeting in Karachi, directed that the Sindh government crackdown on the three problems that have perennially plagued the province: street criminals, kacha dacoits and drug traffickers. He did so on the same day that the Pakistan Institute for Conflict Studies issued its monthly report, showing that terrorism was showing an uptick in April, after some reduction in March. As if to provide an example, there was another attack on the Jhangi checkpost in Taunsa district, in which seven policemen were injured. While terrorism and crime are only tangentially related, it makes little difference to someone who has been shot dead whether the trigger was pulled by a criminal trying to make a living or a terrorist trying to make a political point. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that crimes of all kinds, whatever the motive, are kept under control.
President Zardari may be criticized for dealing with law and order, but it should be remembered that the government there is his party’s. He probably realizes that the recent upsurge in crime in the province is taking place after the party has held the reins of office there since 2008, and is on its second Chief Minister. Street crime was once based on political protection from the MQM, but with the MQM in opposition, that would no longer seem to be the case. Similarly, the Kacha dacoits are said to have political backing from the PPP, but the fact remains that there have been dacoits in the Kacha since time immemorial, and the PPP can only be blamed for inefficiency, not complicity. Indeed, if the PPP is in any way complicit, that would be part of that inefficiency.
The transition from terrorism to criminality can be seen from the President’s warning against crimes involving foreigners, particularly Chinese. It should not be forgotten that the attacks against foreigners, which form part of the crazy kaleidoscope of crime in Karachi, were carried out by terrorists. Terrorists here have been known to carry out kidnappings for ransom to finance their activities, while they have long been associated with the drug trade. Vigilant policing also throws up terrorist activity, such as suspicious rentals, or obtrusive reconnaissance. The fight against crime and terrorism is also a vital part of ensuring a more conducive atmosphere for investment, whether foreign or indigenous. No one likes investing in a place that might go up in flames, or where there are physical threats, after all.
