After police station attack: Street crime spikes after SHO’s transfer in New Town
Due to absence of permanent police station in-charge, crime has increased
“The attack on the police station and subsequent transfer of the SHO has shattered the moral of the police officers,” an officer at the police station told Daily Express on condition of anonymity. PHOTO: MUDASSAR RAJA/EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
Incidents of street crime including robberies, burglaries and theft have increased in the limits of New Town Police Station during the month of August, record of registered cases show.
Main reason for the spike in the crime rate is attributed to the absence of SHO, as the police station in-charge was transferred when a mob led by local leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and party activists stormed the police station on August 10.
The absence of an SHO has badly affected the administrative and routine works of the police station, causing increase in crimes.
According to sources in the police station, during last month, in five incidents of robbery and burglary, citizens were deprived of two motorcycles, cash, jewellery, and mobile phones. In over a dozen vehicle theft cases, 12 cars, four motorcycles, were stolen or snatched during the month under review.
The police station is situated in the posh New Town locality of the city and responsible for providing security to the people and traders of the busiest commercial hub of the city including Commercial Market, Rehmanabad, Chandni Chowk, and Kattarian.
However, due to absence of a permanent in-charge of the police station, incidents of crimes have increased alarmingly in the area.
The situation deteriorated when on August 10th, a traffic warden arrested three boys for doing a wheelie on 6th Road and shifted them to the New Town Police Station.
On receiving the news, hundreds of activists of the ruling PML-N led by local leaders including former members of the National Assembly — Hanif Abbasi, Shakeel Awan and Haji Pervaiz Khan, and former MPA Ziaullah Shah went to the police station to secure release of the three boys.
Abbasi got infuriated after SHO Ghulam Asghar Chandio refused to release the three boys as cases had been registered against them for rash driving.
The boys were arrested outside a marriage hall on the 6th Road, where local PML-N leaders were holding a youth convention and a large number of party workers had gathered.
The PML-N workers pelted stones at the police and smashed windowpanes, fixtures and furniture of the front desk of the police station. They also thrashed some policemen who were on security duty at the convention.
The New Town police released the boys after obtaining personal bonds.
However the PML-N workers remained in and outside the police station till 3am.
Hanif Abbasi later claimed that the PML-N workers did not attack the police or break windowpanes and chairs inside the station.
Following the incident, City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Abbasi ordered the immediate transfer of the SHO to the police lines and withdrawal of the case against the boys. The CPO directed the SP Rawal Town to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report within two days. The inquiry has remained inconclusive till date.
The control of the police station has been handed over to an acting inspector Zameer Haider.
During August over 80 cases including snatching of two motorcycles, cash and mobile phones, 12 cases of car-lifting, four motorcycle theft, three cases of kidnapping, six cases of cheques dishonoured by banks have been reported.
“The attack on the police station and subsequent transfer of the SHO has shattered the moral of the police officers,” an officer at the police station told Daily Express on condition of anonymity.
When Sub-Inspector Zameer Haider was contacted to get his view on the situation, he said that he had been given acting charge of the police station.
Haider, however, said that he had not been facing any problem in dispensing his duties.
He also did not agree with the notion that the police personnel moral had gone down after the PML-N activists attack on the police station and increase in crime rate.
Haider said there had been no marked change in the crime situation.
He however, admitted that some cases of robbery and car-theft had been pending.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2016.
Incidents of street crime including robberies, burglaries and theft have increased in the limits of New Town Police Station during the month of August, record of registered cases show.
Main reason for the spike in the crime rate is attributed to the absence of SHO, as the police station in-charge was transferred when a mob led by local leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and party activists stormed the police station on August 10.
The absence of an SHO has badly affected the administrative and routine works of the police station, causing increase in crimes.
According to sources in the police station, during last month, in five incidents of robbery and burglary, citizens were deprived of two motorcycles, cash, jewellery, and mobile phones. In over a dozen vehicle theft cases, 12 cars, four motorcycles, were stolen or snatched during the month under review.
The police station is situated in the posh New Town locality of the city and responsible for providing security to the people and traders of the busiest commercial hub of the city including Commercial Market, Rehmanabad, Chandni Chowk, and Kattarian.
However, due to absence of a permanent in-charge of the police station, incidents of crimes have increased alarmingly in the area.
The situation deteriorated when on August 10th, a traffic warden arrested three boys for doing a wheelie on 6th Road and shifted them to the New Town Police Station.
On receiving the news, hundreds of activists of the ruling PML-N led by local leaders including former members of the National Assembly — Hanif Abbasi, Shakeel Awan and Haji Pervaiz Khan, and former MPA Ziaullah Shah went to the police station to secure release of the three boys.
Abbasi got infuriated after SHO Ghulam Asghar Chandio refused to release the three boys as cases had been registered against them for rash driving.
The boys were arrested outside a marriage hall on the 6th Road, where local PML-N leaders were holding a youth convention and a large number of party workers had gathered.
The PML-N workers pelted stones at the police and smashed windowpanes, fixtures and furniture of the front desk of the police station. They also thrashed some policemen who were on security duty at the convention.
The New Town police released the boys after obtaining personal bonds.
However the PML-N workers remained in and outside the police station till 3am.
Hanif Abbasi later claimed that the PML-N workers did not attack the police or break windowpanes and chairs inside the station.
Following the incident, City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Abbasi ordered the immediate transfer of the SHO to the police lines and withdrawal of the case against the boys. The CPO directed the SP Rawal Town to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report within two days. The inquiry has remained inconclusive till date.
The control of the police station has been handed over to an acting inspector Zameer Haider.
During August over 80 cases including snatching of two motorcycles, cash and mobile phones, 12 cases of car-lifting, four motorcycle theft, three cases of kidnapping, six cases of cheques dishonoured by banks have been reported.
“The attack on the police station and subsequent transfer of the SHO has shattered the moral of the police officers,” an officer at the police station told Daily Express on condition of anonymity.
When Sub-Inspector Zameer Haider was contacted to get his view on the situation, he said that he had been given acting charge of the police station.
Haider, however, said that he had not been facing any problem in dispensing his duties.
He also did not agree with the notion that the police personnel moral had gone down after the PML-N activists attack on the police station and increase in crime rate.
Haider said there had been no marked change in the crime situation.
He however, admitted that some cases of robbery and car-theft had been pending.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2016.