Crime rises 34% from last year in Lahore
Law and order situation has gone haywire despite rigorous steps taken by authorities
LAHORE:
When you see a number of law enforcement agencies personnel at every corner of the street in Lahore, searching vehicles and frisking people, the first thing that comes to your head as a Lahori would be: “Am I safe?”
But a comparative study of crime data reveals that despite rigorous steps taken by the government to improve law and order, the situation has gone haywire.
This year, 28,709 cases of murder, robbery, kidnapping, extortion, car and bike theft and street crimes were registered while in 2015, 21,363 crime incidents took place, which shows that crime rate increased by 34% during 2016.
Keeping in view the surge in criminal activities over the last few weeks, it is expected that the number of such incidents will surpass in 2017.
Ironically, the senior police officers and government are denying the increase in crime rate and are just relying on to sensitise media by giving false information to the people.
“Even if you compare it with any developed city with a population of over 10 million, the crime rate of Lahore is nothing significant,” commented a senior police officer on the condition of anonymity.
He, however, accepted the police department should have improved its performance as the department had been given state-of-the-art combat trainings and modern resources.
“I know police performance is not up to mark and we have to clean our department from black sheep,” he added.
Earlier, the police department complained of lack of resources, technology and training to combat training, but the police force is roaming around the city with the motorcycles worth Rs1 million each but the result is zero.
According to official data, at least 1,054 cases of kidnapping were reported between January 1 and November 26, while 699 cases of the same nature were reported in 2015.
Similarly, around 4,507 cases of robbery were reported in 2016 as compared to 3,594 in 2015. There was a sharp increase in car snatching, which saw 29% rise in 2016. In 2016, 63 such incidents were registered as compared to 41 registered up till 2016.
Street crime rampant
Around 440 murder cases have been reported in 2016 when last year, 392 such incidents were registered in 12 months. In 2015, around 12 cases of murder-robbery were registered while 12 cases were also registered in 2016.
In 2015, there were 97 unsolved murders and such incidents have jumped to 103 in 2016. There were 732 cases of attempted murder reported in 2015 and 798 in 2016.
Cases of burglary and theft (380 of PPC) also increased during 2016 while 7,556 cases were registered, whereas 3,432 of these incidents were reported in 2015.
In 2016, 80 cases of robbery committed by more than five people, have been reported compared to 95 in 2015.
In 2015, 4,507 cases of robbery were registered while 3,594 robberies have been committed in 2016 so far. There were 4,507 cases of car theft in 2015 compared to 945 in 2016.
Furthermore, 528 cases of motorcycle snatching were reported in 2016 compared to 457 last year. In 2015, 6455 cases of motorcycle lifting were reported as compared to 5,930 in 2016. A total of 63 other vehicles were snatched while the corresponding figures were 60.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2016.
When you see a number of law enforcement agencies personnel at every corner of the street in Lahore, searching vehicles and frisking people, the first thing that comes to your head as a Lahori would be: “Am I safe?”
But a comparative study of crime data reveals that despite rigorous steps taken by the government to improve law and order, the situation has gone haywire.
This year, 28,709 cases of murder, robbery, kidnapping, extortion, car and bike theft and street crimes were registered while in 2015, 21,363 crime incidents took place, which shows that crime rate increased by 34% during 2016.
Keeping in view the surge in criminal activities over the last few weeks, it is expected that the number of such incidents will surpass in 2017.
Ironically, the senior police officers and government are denying the increase in crime rate and are just relying on to sensitise media by giving false information to the people.
“Even if you compare it with any developed city with a population of over 10 million, the crime rate of Lahore is nothing significant,” commented a senior police officer on the condition of anonymity.
He, however, accepted the police department should have improved its performance as the department had been given state-of-the-art combat trainings and modern resources.
“I know police performance is not up to mark and we have to clean our department from black sheep,” he added.
Earlier, the police department complained of lack of resources, technology and training to combat training, but the police force is roaming around the city with the motorcycles worth Rs1 million each but the result is zero.
According to official data, at least 1,054 cases of kidnapping were reported between January 1 and November 26, while 699 cases of the same nature were reported in 2015.
Similarly, around 4,507 cases of robbery were reported in 2016 as compared to 3,594 in 2015. There was a sharp increase in car snatching, which saw 29% rise in 2016. In 2016, 63 such incidents were registered as compared to 41 registered up till 2016.
Street crime rampant
Around 440 murder cases have been reported in 2016 when last year, 392 such incidents were registered in 12 months. In 2015, around 12 cases of murder-robbery were registered while 12 cases were also registered in 2016.
In 2015, there were 97 unsolved murders and such incidents have jumped to 103 in 2016. There were 732 cases of attempted murder reported in 2015 and 798 in 2016.
Cases of burglary and theft (380 of PPC) also increased during 2016 while 7,556 cases were registered, whereas 3,432 of these incidents were reported in 2015.
In 2016, 80 cases of robbery committed by more than five people, have been reported compared to 95 in 2015.
In 2015, 4,507 cases of robbery were registered while 3,594 robberies have been committed in 2016 so far. There were 4,507 cases of car theft in 2015 compared to 945 in 2016.
Furthermore, 528 cases of motorcycle snatching were reported in 2016 compared to 457 last year. In 2015, 6455 cases of motorcycle lifting were reported as compared to 5,930 in 2016. A total of 63 other vehicles were snatched while the corresponding figures were 60.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2016.