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Pakistan
Crime
Part of the responsibility for the deterioration of police performance
has been a widespread increase in the amount of crime. New kinds
of crime have developed--especially related to illegal drugs--and
criminals have substantially greater firepower (see Narcotics
, this ch.). Since the war in Afghanistan, Pakistan has been awash
with guns. Kalashnikov automatic weapons have become ubiquitous
and may be rented in Karachi on an hourly basis. In Karachi criminal
violence, especially kidnapping for ransom and, in effect, open
warfare among political groups, rendered the city so dangerous
that in May 1992 the military had to be called in to launch Operation
Cleanup to apprehend criminals and terrorists and to seize unauthorized
weapons. Criminality extends into all levels of society. Known
criminals have ties to political figures and are able to frustrate
legitimate attempts to enforce law and order. In early 1994, the
army was still activity involved in law enforcement in Sindh.
Crime statistics are reported but cannot be considered reliable.
Throughout the 1980s, there appeared to be an incremental increase
in the number of crimes reported each year. According to the Pakistan
Statistical Yearbook, 1991, from 8,000 to 20,000 murders
or attempted murders, 3,500 to 6,000 kidnappings or abductions,
100 to 600 robberies, and 120,000 to 250,000 other crimes were
reported annually between 1981 and 1990.
Data as of April 1994
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