VOA标准英语2012--Violence Cripples Pakistan's Economic Hub
时间：2018-12-08 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(八月)
Violence Cripples Pakistan's Economic Hub
Political killings 1, honor killings, kidnappings and gang warfare 2 are not uncommon 3 in this city.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, more than 1,450 people including children were killed in Karachi in the first six months of this year. That’s an average of about 6 people a day.
Karachi produces more than 50 percent of Pakistan’s revenue. Businessmen like Naeem Ahmed, a member of the Karachi Chamber 5 of Commerce, say the daily violence is impacting the country’s economy. “If Karachi is not working well, it does not just mean that Karachi is not working, it means Pakistan is not working,” he explained.
Police say they don’t have the manpower to secure such a large city, where there is high unemployment and poverty-driven crime.
Beyond law enforcement
Businessmen say political parties also are also using violence to gain economic power. Police chief Ahmed Farooqi says political violence is beyond law enforcement's ability to control.
“Police can stop them for a little while, [stop] this violence to happen, but for larger stability, and a larger improvement in the law and order situation, the political forces must come into play,” he said.
There is also a lot of wealth in Karachi. And people want protection. Despite strict licensing 6 procedures, gun sales are up. And not only among men, says shop manager Mahmoud Salim.
“Besides hunting and paper target shooting at the range, people also buy guns for personal protection, and that also includes women, even young women," he added. "They come and they want to have a license 7, they want to have a weapon for their personal security.”
Businessmen say the only solution will come from political parties joining forces, and tackling the problems, rather than being a part of them.
- His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
- The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
- He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
- Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。
- Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
- Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。
- The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
- The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。
- For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
- The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。