Who Controls Karachi: Law or outlaws?

Politics should ideally be about ideology but in Karachi, over the last ten years or so, it has become more about money.

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Whether it is Mumbai, Miami or Karachi, gangs or other criminal outfits start controlling cities when the system does not adjust to rapid economic growth.

Those who live in Karachi; and those who go to the city of lights frequently — whatever the purpose of visit may be — they all know the two things go unabated in the city: killing and extortion. The former needs no explanation as the very word itself is enough to cause goose bumps in one's back. The latter — extortion — perhaps needs a lot more understanding.

Up-to-the-minute definition: Extortion also called blackmail, shakedown, out wresting, and exaction. It is a criminal offence of unlawfully obtaining money, property, or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. What is happening in Karachi is not mere extortion. The very word “exaction” defines the situation precisely.

Exaction refers not only to extortion or the unlawful demanding and obtaining of something through force, but additionally, in its formal definition, means the infliction of something such as pain and suffering or making somebody endure something unpleasant.

Easy money, i.e. the sum of exaction now amounts to the tune of two crore (million) rupees daily. Exaction peaks in Ramazan targeting traders, businessmen and industrialists. Fitra parchis (receipts) are common in Karachi and everybody knows who is behind this parchi system. Exaction or extortion whatever you name it also stands out during new-year eve (December), fiscal year end (June) and Bakra Eid.

Extortionists hurl hand grenades at shops, offices and even bungalows of the riches who declined to pay. This is done so to send a warning to stubborn victim. This also scared others. People pay taxes everywhere in the world. In Karachi people pay double taxes. The collectors are the government and the extortionists.

From August 1-10 more than 4,000 extortion threats were received by business community. All Karachi Tajir Itehad — a forum of megacity traders — claimed billions of rupees losses just because of exaction. Other violent crimes are also rampant. During first ten days of August 153 vehicles were reported commandeered. Some 563 motorcycles were snatched at gun-point or stolen. Likewise, from August 1-10 more than 400 cell phones were either snatched at gun-point or stolen.

The ongoing war between certain groups — both political or semi-political and political-criminal — over control of Karachi has its own toll. More money means more supporters. The more the activists are the more is display of power. The war is for illegal money. The war is for arms and drugs and liquors. The war is for illegal lands, not one or two marlas but thousands of acres and future prime locations. The war is for water supply through tankers that meant for posh areas. The war is for disposal of snatched vehicles. Political parties such as Pakistan People's Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Awami National Party too have stains on their faces.
Land grabbing became a business and getting rid of land grabbers also became a business. Banks hired “collectors”, usually political workers or those with connections, to recover stuck loans and confiscate leased cars from people unable to pay installments.
If there is a bomb threat we have Bomb Disposal Squad. If a vehicle is commandeered we have Anti-car Lifting Cell. If a child is kidnapped for ransom we have Anti-violent Crime Cell. If there is corruption we have anti-corruption cell. Then, why the Karachiites are still deprived of with much-desired “anti-extortion squad” or “anti-extortion cell?”

Some four month ago, Sindh government announced to introduce an anti-extortion law to make all offences relating to money extortion non-bailable. This is a brainchild of our Interior Minister Rahman Malik. The elected government's representatives still do not have any time for necessary legislation in this regard. Instead we have an ordinance promulgated by Governor Sindh Dr. Ishart-ul-Ibad.

This so-called ordinance is not simple as it looks. It's a bit perplexing and mind boggling too. The ordinance declares: any person found using a stolen phone or a benami SIM card — a SIM card registered under someone else's name — to make extortion calls should be sentenced to seven years in prison. The accused once arrested will not have a remote chance of bail from any court of law. Under the new anti-extortion law a statement made before a police officer might be admissible before a court of law. The role of police is not impeccable but shoddy in many ways.

Separately, a joint task force headed by a DIG and having representation from Rangers, Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency had been constituted. An extortion reporting cell has been formed by IG Police Sindh. Citizen Police Liaison Committee is also taking complains of extortion. From January up till now the CPLC has so far received more than 400 complains of extortion from traders and individuals, says spokesperson of the CPLC Ms. Nazish Ayaz.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has on record revealed that activists belonging to political parties of the PPP-led coalition government of Sindh are to be blamed for the menace of extortion in Karachi. According to interior minister the activists of PPP, MQM, ANP and other parties were involved in extortion in the megacity. He also mentioned People's Amn Committee and Kutchhi Rabita Committee behind heinous crimes.

Politics should ideally be about ideology but in Karachi, over the last ten years or so, it has become more about money. In the 1980s, we were divided along ethnic lines, but they have been slowly erased and replaced by financial ones.

The story of change began in 2002, when Shaukat Aziz rigorously implemented an IMF agenda to liberalise the economy. Banks were pushed into consumer financing, lending was made easy. Banking, telecommunication and real estate grew. Import duties were minimised. Business flourished in computers, cell phones and luxury items. The media promoted new products. Middle class dreams were realised. People started discovering purchasing power. They bought cars, homes, refrigerators, cell phones.

Real estate became a focus in 2002 and this trend peaked by 2004 and 2005. A house that was easily available for one million rupees in 1999 was going for no less than eight million rupees. Food and shopping malls mushroomed. The government started to make new roads, bridges and underpasses to make property more attractive.

For those who were earning legally, there were plenty of places to spend. For those who were not able to jump on the bandwagon, they had their own way of earning from the city: land grabbing and petty crime. Snatch a mobile phone and you get at least Rs. 5,000, mug someone at an ATM and you can get up to Rs. 25,000.

Land grabbing became a business and getting rid of land grabbers also became a business. Banks hired “collectors” — usually political workers or those with connections — to recover stuck loans and confiscate leased cars from people unable to pay installments.

Karachi was already divided on political lines, thus political connections were essential for the recovery gangs. In many cases, settlements were reached at the offices of political parties. Later, recovery gangs became involved in land grabbing. To survive, they needed the protection of a political banner or flag. This is why, more and more political flags were put up on grabbed property or disputed land over the last ten years.

The Rangers have been tasked with security of some of the city's prime property but they also have a stake in the different business, especially the water supply one. A common perception at Karachi University, where the Rangers have been deployed since 1989, is that whenever students demand their removal from campus, a student clash takes place. Many circles believe the same theory applies to the city as well.

Many people believe banned sectarian outfits kill Shias to demonstrate strength and consolidate their support bank, get a piece of the pie. Police investigators cite the 1995-96 rise of the anti-Shia Taliban as linked to the killings of scores of Shias in Karachi. By targeting Shias, these outfits send a strong message to their supporters who then reach for their pockets to make donations. In a tit-for-tat response, many Sunnis have also been gunned down apparently by Shia outfits.

It would be unfair to hold criminals entirely responsible. They could not have come so far without benefiting the parties in return. Financial gains of political parties are not easy to prove. But an evaluation of leaders' assets and their growth in the last 10 years could reveal this side of the story.

From Lyari to Surjani, New Karachi to Orangi Town, party flags have surfaced and people claiming affiliation with different parties have been dictating the rules of business in real estate and other money matters. This was also made possible with the support from the administration, police, Rangers.

It is an open secret that the police and other law-enforcing agencies are beneficiaries. This is why people argue that the lifestyle of many officers does not match their legal sources of income. In some cases, the visiting cards of officers have been recovered from people shot dead in encounters.

Law enforcers are bowing down to the outlaws, thus throwing Karachi to the Frankenstein.

Asad Kaleem