Who has snatched security from cities?

The media has been abuzz over the past several days about insecurity plaguing major cities of Afghanistan including the capital with incidents of theft, kidnappings and murder skyrocketing. In terms of robbery, Kabul city is the most insecure where cars, cash, mobile phones and other valuables are taken from people by force in broad daylight. Thieves murder people for petty things and their gangs roam city squares and perpetrate crimes at will.

Criminal incidents have also become a daily norm in other major cities of the country. A few days earlier, residents of Kunduz city launched a protest against criminal gangs that conduct robbery in the city center without any fear of repercussions.

The crime rate in cities has soared even as theft and robbery are unheard of in rural areas where the Islamic Emirate rules. Just as the Islamic Emirate had established exemplary security during its complete rule, it continues to provide conditions for the locals to live in a secure environment without the fear of any transgression against their lives, property and honor due to the blessings of Shariah law implementation.

The residents of cities and rural areas of Afghanistan are the same people yet the question that begs answering is why the crime rate of rural areas is close to zero while it continues to surpassed all records in the major cities??? The answer to this question is that the root cause of theft and corruption are the officials themselves who are running these cities under the shadow of occupation.

Most officials of the stooge regime are in one way or another involved in theft, corruption, misappropriation and robbery. Their leaders are involved in elite theft such as banks, government budgets, land grabbing and other major economic schemes whereas the lower-level officials run organized gangs who prey on defenseless civilians through intimidation and gun violence.

Residents of Kabul and other cities complain that criminals mug people in front of the police without facing any consequence and even when a thug is apprehended by the public and handed over to the authorities, he is released a few days later and again involved in crime.

This proves that the mafia culture prevalent in the cities is not a usual phenomenon but has the strong backing of the corrupt elites. The officials have a share in the profits hence these gangs have the courage to kill and steal in broad daylight without fear of facing any consequences. Dramatic operations against some gang members by the corrupt officials is a mere façade to deceive the people and hide their own criminal footsteps.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is of the belief that a system drowning from head to toe in corruption and holding world records in theft and embezzlement can never provide conditions of secure livelihoods. A system where the Ministers and Member of Parliaments could care less about stealing millions of dollars, why would police or a low-ranking officer ever feel any shame in petty theft? The only way to prevent such crimes is to reform the system from its foundations and implement Shariah law on the corrupt elements.