Can Karachi Reclaim Its Lost Glory?

When we imagine a general store, a beautiful shop likely comes to mind, with a large space and clean, organized shelves displaying various products. Similarly, a mobile shop with a attractive counter showcasing boxes of different mobile brands.

However, Such places are only seen in inner Karachi ( Upper Class ) areas like Defence, Gulshan Town, etc. But in all other areas, the situation is quite different. Due to rising inflation and unemployment, the situation continues to deteriorate. From a business perspective, Karachi was once the hub of commercial activities in Pakistan, but it's unclear what went wrong. Perhaps the country's political situation has also contributed to the decline of this once-thriving city.

let's take a look at litte depth of situation. In this picture, what you see is a cage-like structure, which is not a literal cage, but it's like a jail. Where a person is trapped from 7 am to 11 pm. You might not believe it by looking at the picture, but this is actually a general store. And the owner/salesman spends the entire day inside.

He deals with customers through a small window in the grill and customers can buy their items from outside. No one is allowed to enter the store. Now, let me reveal the depth of this situation. The store owner has done this to protect himself, his money, and his goods. And it's not just this shop, but you'll see many such stores and shops in most areas of Karachi, with their fronts completely shut, like a cage or a jail lockup.

But all this is because of those unknown individuals who have no religion, no color, and no caste. I can say that they can't even be counted among humans. Because for them, everything is just about money. They roam freely everywhere in Karachi, sometimes on bikes and sometimes in cars. First, they set their target, stalk their prey for a few days, and then strike when they get the chance. Some of them even kill for money.

Sometimes they loot a passerby, sometimes a company's cashier, and sometimes a poor laborer who is returning home with his hard-earned money. They spare no one. These are the people who have snatched the breadwinners from many families, leaving them to mourn. All for the sake of money.

It's not that the relevant authorities are not taking any steps to control this situation. In fact, encounters with police do take place every day, resulting in some robbers getting killed or caught. But despite this, the number of these lawless creatures continues to rise.

There was a time when you could roam freely in Karachi, day or night, without any fear. But now, that's not possible. Whenever someone steps out of their house, they fear being targeted by these unknown individuals. Doing business in this city is like putting your life at risk. People spend thousands of rupees on security measures before starting a new business, but still, there's no guarantee.

I wonder if we can go back to the times when people could live and work in this city without any fear. And can the business environment in this city improve again?