Ardeshir Cowasjee: Karachi: law and order

London, a city of 7,387,868 (half that of Karachi) relatively law-abiding citizens has a police strength of 47,874, a ratio of 1:155. Delhi with a population of 14,000,000 has a police force of 58,000, a ratio of 1:241. Lahore with its 10,000,000 has a force of 30,946, a ratio of 1:323. We, with our estimated 18,000,000 have a force of 34,212, a ratio of 1:526.

On to a relatively related topic — US special envoy, our latter-day viceroy, Richard Holbrooke: he spends more time in Pakistan than does our president, the itinerant Asif Zardari of the ever-present prosthodontic grin. This last visit Holbrooke was here for all of three days and found time to visit the Supreme Court and chat with the good chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry. According to a press report of June 5, the two discussed 'matters relating to judicial reforms as per national judicial policy and the whole judicial structure of Pakistan'.