The local politicians, tribal chieftains and police have thrown the common people to wolves
Gulsher Panhwer
Crime is as old as human civilization. Today there would be hardly any country on the map of earth that or all of its parts would be crime free. Even developed world with enormous resources, robust technology and highly trained law enforcing manpower is not free from crime.
Sindh province of Pakistan has unique history and culture of crime. In not too much old days (till 1990s), the thieves, robbers and burglars strictly adhered to certain rules and values.
The dacoit never violated privacy of women and if any of the man in the group attempted to violate the code of conduct, he was immediately punished by the Sardar (leader of the gang). Mostly the dacoit did not rob poor but they targeted persons from rich exploitative class. The thieves and burglars never committed crime in 5 to 10 Km vicinity.
During 1980s dacoit Paru Chandio become popular among the Sindh public due to his exceptional bravery and generosity to poor. He looted feudal lords and rich business and distributed big portion of his loot among poor and needy. When he was killed in an army operation in 1983, thousands of the people turned to attend his funeral and 10000 ajrak were placed on his body as symbol of reverence and gratitude.
Despite allocation of Rs.2.7 billion for police, 90 police pickets and enormous state human and material resources few dacoits have held the area hostage for long
Although crime of any nature whether the perpetrators show compassion to certain segment and cruelty to others cannot be condoned and must be condemned but in comparison of the past, todays crime has become more cruel and mean. The dacoits, robbers and thieves haves completely torpedoed the past culture.
Now, reportedly there is strong nexus between powerful rich elite, criminals and police. In Ghotki, Shikarpur and parts of Sukkur the dacoits rule the roost. Within 220 Km dyke area in these district is said to be stronghold of the dacoits. Despite allocation of Rs.2.7 billion for police, 90 police pickets and enormous state human and material resources few dacoits have held the area hostage for long. In past as majority of robbers like Paru Cahndio were committing crime against rich and powerful, therefore their end came swiftly. But as today’s criminals of all hue including dacoits in katcha (riverine forest area) area of northern Sindh kidnap for ransom only poor and the loot is allegedly distributed among troika. This troika according to sources include police, tribal chief and dacoits.
Unlike their past predecessors, today’s Dharail (dacoits) use modern technology which is less risky. The dacoits use female voice to lure simpleton men. The female voice either mimicked by male kidnapers or a real voice of female asks the target that she is alone and wants to make love with him and marry him. The poor man enchanted by sweet female voice travels to the location pointed out by the female voice on phone, where he gets trapped and attacked and apprehended by hidden kidnapers. He is taken to riverine forest. The dacoits make his gory video where the hostage is tied in in chains, his cloths ripped his body burnished from torture. The dacoits in background poke stick in his bleeding wounds or beat him mercilessly while the hostage weeps and begs his relatives to arrange certain ransom amount demanded by his kidnapers. Most of the hostages share in their video that they are daily wage laborers, hawkers etc. and belong to the lowest ladder of the socioeconomic layer of the society. The hostage in heart wrenching pleading urge their relatives to seek the amount on interest or by any other means to get their lives saved and seek their release from captivity.
Another part of Sindh, Dadu District which was hotbed of dacoits during 1980s to early 1990s remained relatively peaceful throughout last two decades. However since last 2 months, the acts of motorcycle robbing have erupted and increased like wild fire. On an average 10 to 20 or more motor bikes are robbed on daily basis. In some incidents the men including a young man Danish Jamali were killed while resisting the snatching of their motorbike.
As motor bike is mostly used by poor segment of the population, the daily wage earners, peasants, students from low income groups of the population use this mode of the transport. But the robber mafia is active and without hindrance continues to pounce upon the motorcyclists even in cities and towns in Dadu District.
The sources say that there are many criminal dens in each town and city in Dadu District where stanched motorcyclists are hidden for days and months and thereafter taken to market in Balochistan to be sold. The knowledgeable local persons allege that police, politically well-connected persons and robbers perpetuate this mutually beneficial crime.
On the evening of May 1, 2023, five motorbikes were snatched in Johi town of Dadu District within 2 hours’ time. First motorbike was snatched from a poor hawker at 10:40 p.m. He informed police and registered and NC but police did not move. Another motorbike was snatched from 18-year old student Shahzad Ali Panhwer at 11pm when he was returning home after buying medicine for his ailing mother. He found a policeman at the Taluka Headquarter police station. He urged the lower rank police official to send police party to follow robbers as his bike has very limited quantity of petrol. But no action from police. Next night at 8:00pm, the cousin of the Shazad Ali spotted and recognized the robbed motorbike and called his relatives. For 4 hours, the relatives of Shahzad chased the robbers in street of the town but no police action. It’s pity that local politicians, tribal chieftains and police have thrown the common people to wolves in northerner Sindh.
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Gulsher Panhwer is a freelance writer mostly touching the environmental, cultural, social and such other issues. He can be reached at gulsherp@yahoo.com
