It’s bad, as usual
The Karachi operation, and hopes of finally finding the collective political will to ‘cleanse’ the city, now seems a distant dream. There was some degree of success early on, especially in controlling target killings, but other forms of crime increased, particularly kidnapping for extortion. But even the small advances now seem to have fizzled out, and the port city is back to its old ways. A dozen odd murders a day hardly raise eyebrows anymore. Kidnapping is as usual as it has been for years. And street crime, especially theft at gunpoint, never really decreased. The only thing about the city worth writing home about, the stock market buoyancy difficult to explain considering the economy, too, reversed since PTI/PAT rebellions paralysed the capital.
Most countries protect their port cities and financial centres. Karachi combines the two for Pakistan and therefore deserves that much more care. Cities like Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, just to mention a few, did not grow to become financial hubs just by chance. They were given special attention by authorities, and with time their respective positions facilitated trade, investment, tourism, etc, all good things for foreign exchange reserves and the economy. Even Beirut, shattered by the 1975-90 civil war, was rebuilt on priority basis. The thinking, that the sooner it reverted to its old status as Switzerland of the Levant the sooner they would resurrect crucial forex flows, soon bore fruit.
But Pakistan is a different story. Karachi has been on the decline for decades. From a progressive, forward looking city in the ‘70s to political bickering in the following decade, factional political fighting of the ‘90s, and downright turf wars since the new century, little positive news has come from the city. It is as if Karachi has been left to its fate. The thinking that reviving Karachi’s trade and investment status will benefit the country as a whole seems to have lost all following over the years. There may be little chance left now to salvage the city. Unless those in charge pull up their socks now and really ‘cleanse’ it, things will only get worse.
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