Pakistan's Alarming Security Decline: OICCI Report Highlights Urgent Concerns

The OICCI's 2024 report reveals a worsening security situation in Pakistan, particularly in Karachi, with increased street crime. The deteriorating conditions in Sindh and Balochistan and long-standing concerns about human rights and foreign investment remain significant issues.

The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) in Pakistan has disclosed a deterioration in the country's security landscape, according to a report by Dawn. The chamber's annual survey points to a worsening situation in Karachi, particularly marked by a rise in street crime incidents.

The OICCI Security Survey 2024 indicates that Karachi's situation deteriorated from 69 percent in 2023 to 80 percent in 2024. The survey also reflects declining security across Sindh and Balochistan. Respondents in Balochistan noted a worsening scenario, with figures increasing from 68 percent in 2023 to 75 percent in 2024. Lahore, Punjab Province, and Peshawar showed slight improvements.

Security is a paramount concern for business investment in Pakistan. Kamran Ataullah Khan, a member of OICCI's management committee, emphasized the need for continuous law enforcement efforts to enhance security and attract foreign direct investment. OICCI Secretary General M Abdul Aleem highlighted that the unstable economy and deteriorating security are major deterrents to foreign investors.

Feedback from international investors, cited in the OICCI report, points to persistent concerns over issues like street crimes, expatriate safety, illegal gratification, and protests. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also reported a severe state of human rights in Sindh, citing an increase in street crime, kidnappings, and rights violations.

The HRCP report highlights state authorities' heavy-handed responses and enforced disappearances, targeting vulnerable groups and leading to extrajudicial killings and injuries. The federal caretaker government's executive order resulted in the arrest and deportation of many Afghan refugees and migrants in Sindh.