Karachi: Kunda culture, collusion and collapse of urban order

Karachi’s residential neighborhoods are no longer merely under pressure—they are under siege. What is unfolding across society is not just sporadic illegality, but a dangerous convergence of unchecked commercial encroachment, electricity theft and institutional complicity and corruption. The result is a slow but visible collapse of urban order.

For over two decades, I have lived in a Karachi locality planned and approved strictly for residential use, leaving commercial plots on front road only. Like countless other middle-class families, we invested our life savings here for a basic promise: peaceful living under the protection of law. That promise now stands broken.

An adjacent residential plot has been converted into a blatant hub of illegal commercial and industrial activity. Within a semi-constructed structure, multiple unauthorized operations are being run simultaneously—shops, residential quarter, an aluminium fabrication factory and a scrap (“kabariya”) business storing plastic waste and metal scrap. This is not small-scale deviation; it is a complete transformation of residential space into an informal ugly industrial neighborhood.

The consequences are immediate and severe. The aluminium factory operates relentlessly, generating continuous noise from cutting, hammering and machinery. What was once a quiet street is now defined by industrial disturbance and pollution. Children struggle to study, elderly residents suffer from constant stress and families are deprived of the most basic human need—peace within their homes.

Yet, the more alarming dimension lies in the role of K-Electric. Electricity for these illegal operations is being drawn through “kunda” connections—open theft from the street pole. Such theft cannot occur at this scale without either connivance or active collusion of KE technicians. The implication is stark: a segment of the system meant to enforce legality is instead enabling illegality.

The consequences of this corruption are now being directly borne by law-abiding residents. Until recently, this residential society experienced no load-shedding. Today, prolonged outages of up to four hours—often followed by another four-hour cycle—have become routine. This shift is neither coincidental nor technical; it is symptomatic of a system strained and distorted by theft and mismanagement.

In simple terms, those who steal electricity are empowered, while those who pay for it are punished.

Repeated complaints to the relevant authorities, local administration and other establishments have produced no meaningful response. Appeals made through formal channels and even public platforms have been met with silence. This persistent inaction raises a difficult but unavoidable question: where does incompetence end and complicity begin? And, obviously this is not an isolated case. Across Karachi, residential areas are being systematically eroded by illegal commercial expansion.

Equally important, however, is the role of citizens themselves. The erosion of residential sanctity is not driven by violators alone—it is sustained by a culture of silent acceptance and, at times, active facilitation. Property owners who rent out premises for illegal commercial use, tenants who knowingly operate unauthorized businesses, and individuals who resort to “kunda” connections are all complicit in undermining the rule of law. Short-term financial gains cannot justify long-term damage to community wellbeing. Residents must recognize that by indulging in such subservient and unlawful practices, they are not only violating regulations but also contributing to the collective decline of their own neighborhoods. Responsible citizenship demands refusal to participate in illegality, and the courage to stand against it.

The path forward is neither complex nor unknown—it simply requires will and accountability.

First, immediate enforcement of zoning regulations is essential and without any distinction. Unauthorized commercial and industrial activities within residential areas must be shut down without exception. Second, K-Electric must be held accountable for electricity theft—not only by removing illegal connections but by ensuring internal accountability where collusion is suspected. Third, regulatory bodies such as SBCA and district administrations must be made responsive, with time-bound mechanisms for complaint resolution. Finally, there must be visible enforcement actions to restore public confidence that the rule of law still holds.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026