Over 40 killed amid lockdown in Faisalabad

Incidents of domestic disputes and violence also witness surge

FAISALABAD: During the lockdown that has now been relaxed,  at least 42 people were murdered and 85 injured in attacks in Faisalabad.

Between March 23 and May 12, incidents of domestic disputes and violence also increased.

Those murdered during the period included a number of women and children.

As many as 82 cases of attempted murder were reported during the 53-day period, in which 85 people were injured, including 30 women and seven children, as per statistics obtained by The Express Tribune. They were attacked with firearms, axes, knives, sticks and rods.

The lockdown was enforced in Faisalabad along with other cities of Punjab. Educational institutions, markets and parks were closed, while public gatherings were banned to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

But negative effects of the lockdown were also witnessed and unemployment increased in the city.

The overall crime rate dropped dramatically during the period but cases of murder, attempted murder and fights increased.

The figures showed that violence against women had increased rather than decreasing during the lockdown.

However, City Police Officer (CPO) Sohail Chaudhry claimed while talking to The Express Tribune that the police performance in curbing crimes during the past few months had been excellent.

“Faisalabad is among the top five districts in the province that have the best performance in terms of protection of citizens from crimes,” he said.

The CPO maintained that the most positive aspect of the lockdown was protecting citizens from coronavirus that was the priority.

“In some cases, people resorted to violence as frustration increased during the lockdown; however, the police have tried to solve all these cases efficiently,” he remarked.

Sources revealed that since the imposition of the lockdown, four murder cases were registered in Jhang Bazaar police station and three each in Nishatabad PS and Ghulam Muhammadabad PS.

At least eight women were killed in the name of honour by their husbands, fathers, or other relatives in D-Type Colony, Dijkot, and Tandianwala.

Police claimed to have arrested several accused of the accused in the cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2020.