What’s happening everyday, a
number of people having been murdered, kidnapped or robbed by criminals as well
as incidents of carjacking and snatching of cell phones at gunpoint, armed
robbery, housebreaking, rape and gang rape are also accounted.
Acts of terrorism, including bomb blast, blowing of railway tracks and gas
pipeline, grenade attacks and assaults by suicide bombers in different parts of
the country have also become quite frequent. Average of approximately 3,000 to
4,000 people fall prey to criminals every month in Karachi. However, a large
number of crimes are neither reported to the police, nor do they appear in the
press.
People are not sure whether they will return home safely or their houses will be
safe beneath such a deteriorating law and order situation. In result of such
unlawful activities, thousands of innocent people have lost their lives and
thousands have been deprived of their valuables worth billions of rupees. Near
90% of victims fall prey to criminals, mainly because they lack knowledge about
security issues and their ignorance about precautionary measures.
Unfortunately, police and law agencies have not been in the position to give
protection to common citizens against these elements in country. This has made
people feel insecure and helpless. Many people now think that nothing can happen
to them while others feel that nothing can help in an adverse situation so it is
better to surrender. However, they fail to realize that they will be held
responsible for less of their lives and property, which can be easily prevented
by taking appropriate steps in advance.
Hence, in Pakistan, the security education in schools and colleges is needed,
whereas in the developed countries i.e. in the United State and the United
Kingdom, it is taught as a subject at the graduate level. In this way the
general public gains knowledge about security and it also provides job
opportunities to young men and women so that they can make their career in the
profession. In Pakistan, it has become a domain of ex-servicemen, with civilians
given the least priority. The successive governments have also not taken any
interest providing security awareness training is imparted to citizens they will
misuse it and criminal activities will increase, however, they forget that
citizens need training in ‘passive security’, which focuses on preventive
security measures to act as deterrence to crime and violence.
Although it may not be possible for people to become absolutely safe by
acquiring some knowledge about security, they can definitely minimize the risk
of becoming a victim to a great extent. So now, this scribe suggests that
different clubs, housing societies, community centre(s) and schools should
invite security experts for delivering lectures on different subjects of passive
security.