Karachi: The continuing incidence of street crime, kidnapping, extortion and other offences in Sindh, together with allegations of political and influential interference in policing, demonstrates that the province urgently needs comprehensive police reform, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.The issue is no longer simply whether the police have enough personnel or equipment; it is whether the institution itself is structured to provide professional, impartial, technology-driven and accountable policing, Aktaf Shakoor said.The scale of the problem in Karachi is illustrated by figures released by the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), he said. More than 24,000 street-crime incidents were reported in the megacity during the first five months of 2026, including thousands of motorcycle and mobile-phone snatchings and thefts.Although official figures later indicated a decline in overall street crime, the continuing high level of offences shows that the problem remain s far from resolved, he said.Altaf Shakoor said the problem is not confined to street crime. The police leadership itself has previously acknowledged the public perception that persistent street crime in Karachi and kidnappings in Sindh's riverine areas have undermined confidence in law enforcement. The weakening of the traditional police station and inadequate human and financial resources have also been identified as major challenges.Altaf Shakoor said recent incidents have further exposed another dimension of the problem: the danger of police becoming an instrument of influence rather than an impartial protector of citizens.He said the concern is reinforced by a recent incident in DHA Phase VI, where a violent confrontation between residents was captured on CCTV and three police officers subsequently faced disciplinary proceedings over their alleged involvement. Such cases should not simply be treated as isolated misconduct. They raise the larger question of whether existing mechanisms are strong eno ugh to prevent police personnel from becoming parties to private disputes.Police reform must therefore begin with insulating operational policing from political, personal and financial influence, he said. Transfers and postings should follow transparent rules, while officers should receive reasonable tenure so that they can develop professional responsibility for the areas under their command.He said investigation must be strengthened through specialised training, forensic capacity, modern evidence-gathering techniques and professional prosecution. Technology must become a central pillar of this transformation.He said Sindh Police should make far greater use of modern digital systems, data analytics, CCTV networks, automatic number-plate recognition, crime mapping and integrated emergency-response systems. Artificial intelligence can help identify crime patterns, analyse large volumes of information, identify emerging hotspots, support investigations and deploy police resources where they are most neede d. AI should assist-not replace-professional police judgment, and its use must be governed by clear safeguards to protect citizens' privacy and prevent misuse.Altaf Shakoor said police stations must become genuine centres of public service. Registration of complaints should be transparent, citizens should be able to monitor the progress of their cases, and complaints against police personnel should be investigated through credible and independent mechanisms.Accountability must extend to everyone, including the police themselves. No officer should be above the law, but neither should honest officers be left vulnerable to arbitrary political pressure, he said.A professional police service requires both independence and accountability, he urged.He said the government must also invest in the welfare and professional development of police personnel. Excessive working hours, inadequate facilities and insufficient training undermine morale and ultimately affect public safety.He said modern policing require s continuing training in investigation, cybercrime, forensic evidence, human rights, conflict de-escalation and protection of vulnerable citizens.Sindh does not need another reform exercise consisting merely of announcements, committees and transfers. It needs a long-term programme with measurable targets, independent oversight, modern technology and continuity across changes in police leadership and government, he said."The ultimate test of police reform is simple: whether an ordinary citizen, regardless of wealth or influence, can walk into a police station confident that the law will treat him or her exactly as it treats the powerful."A safer Sindh requires not merely more police, but better policing-professional, impartial, technology-driven, accountable and genuinely committed to serving the citizens, he concluded.