An article, "Enabling citizens to protect themselves", written by Sam Howe Verhovek, was recently published in the International Herald Tribune.

This article stated that "a powerful movement to allow ordinary citizens to obtain permits easily for carrying concealed weapons is taking hold across the United States, a product of both the new Republican control of many state governments and of increasing fears that the police are incapable of protecting citizens from criminals." It further states that 20 of the 50 states generally grant permits to adults without a criminal record or a history of mental illness, and that another 13 states are considering bills to make it easier for citizens to carry handguns.

This is food for thought for those out to make Karachi a safer place to live and to work in. There are 3000-4000 terrorists roaming around, according to the Sindh Home Secretary. The daily newspapers are full of reports of the number of people killed, the cars snatched, the homes burgled, and the factories raided by dacoits. The citizens, the Silent Majority that is, are mute by-standers while the criminals loot them and leave them high and dry. The police force is the biggest joke perpetrated on this city. Newspapers proclaim strongly that many policemen are in cahoots with the undesired elements or are personally involved in heinous crimes. Only the bold and the foolhardy trek to the nearby police station to report when they are victims of any criminal activity. Families of those who are kidnapped, call up the CPLC rather than the area SP or the SHO.

The proliferation of registered and unregistered Security Agencies is another blatant proof of the desperate need to protect self, homes, and workplaces, from the criminal elements and also not depend on police patrolling. The sense of fear is further enhanced whenever the police mobile passes thru one’s abode or place of work. The sad fact of life is that the sanctuary of safety, that is the Mosque, is now vulnerable to open attack and that the Believers are feeling scared to attend even the House of Allah. This is the result of the misuse of religion by vested theologians who have manipulated their access to the pulpit to create hatred and fratricide.

It seems that Karachi’s citizens are not safe and secure. The corrupt police, the firebrand religious leaders, the petty local gangsters, the demonic extortionists, the alien provocateurs, the autocratic officials, the apathetic government, the indifferent politicians, etc, have all woven together a fabric of malafide conspiracy to destroy the City of Lights.

Therefore, it is now imperative that the citizens band together and strive for self-protection and for communal security. One way is to follow the guidelines and procedures adopted by the 20 US states. In Florida, the crime rate drastically went down after the legislature allowed citizens to carry concealed weapons. In seven years, the Florida government has issued 266,710 right-to-carry permits. Florida’s experiment has generally provided strong arguments for the need to allow citizens to arm themselves.

Karachiites should be given this right too. The citizens cannot depend on the police for protection. The industrialists of Karachi have lost millions in dacoities. Insurance companies have given away millions to those whose cars were snatched. Brides have lost dowries to thieves. Quite a few individuals have lost their lives during dacoities and burglaries. Criminals from all over Pakistan descend on this city to commit their chosen crimes. Thus providing arms for self-protection may ensure that there will be brave citizens who will fire on these criminals when attacked. A few well-intentioned deaths of these fiends will bring forth a change for the better. The residents of any locality will, undoubtedly, feel more secure if a couple of burglars or dacoits are shot dead in their area. This will be a major deterrent in scaring off these criminals.

Syed Abdullah Shah, the Sindh Chief Minster with the lowest popularity ratings, should set up with the co-operation of the CPLC, a Bureau to issue gun licenses to all citizens of the city. Of course this should not be left to the police to administer, as they have openly proved to be inept and incompetent. Leave it to the citizens. That is the reason why CPLC should be involved. Powers should be given to this organization under the Citizen Self-Defense Act, a law which should be immediately enacted by the Sindh Assembly.

The hope and prayer is that the citizens of Karachi will now wake up and protect themselves and their city, because no one is there to do it for them. As W. E. Henley said:

"It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul."