Top cop assumes charge amid spike in crimes

New Islamabad IGP has set a seven-day deadline for performance improvement

ISLAMABAD:

After the lapse of several weeks and an alarming spike in street crime, the Islamabad police finally got a new police chief at the Central Police Office.

Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, recently appointed as the Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad, officially assumed his duties on Monday following his transfer from the Punjab government to the federal government three weeks ago.

Upon taking charge, IG Rizvi identified three major challenges facing the Islamabad police, affecting their overall effectiveness. The first challenge highlighted was the rising incidents of street crimes, posing a significant hurdle for law enforcement. He emphasised the need to enhance patrol system efficiency rather than solely focusing on apprehending criminals.

The second challenge addressed covert networks involved in theft, robbery, and street crimes. IG Rizvi introduced measures empowering investigating officers to apprehend culprits and recover stolen items, providing relief to citizens.

The third challenge involved resolving over 6,000 pending cases and apprehending more than 4,000 proclaimed offenders involved in serious crimes. He emphasised merit-based appointments for police roles, enhanced patrol monitoring, and strict departmental action against misconduct.

IG Rizvi organised a meeting with police officers upon assuming office, setting a seven-day deadline for performance improvement. He prioritised the welfare of martyrs' families, ensuring their active participation in key events and providing education and scholarships to their children.

Addressing police force concerns, the IG pledged to increase salaries and optimize resources for effective crime fighting and security measures. He established a special implementation committee comprising senior officers to monitor task execution across divisions.

Emphasising field visibility and public service, the new police chief announced 24-hour operations at the F-6 service centre, zero tolerance for corruption, and activation of specialised police units. He also outlined plans for training, performance monitoring, repatriation of offenders, traffic management campaigns, and night patrolling initiatives.

Under the new IG's leadership, the Islamabad police face a daunting challenge to prevent crimes when the federal capital is already reeling under the rising rate of street crime.

In line with the directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Establishment Division removed Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Akbar Nisar Khan in December last year.

It is pertinent to mention here that then-DIG (grade-20) Nasir was appointed as the top cop in the federal capital in May 2022, by the former Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led coalition government.

In October, the ECP had asked the interior ministry to transfer the officers after different political parties filed complaints against them fearing they may influence the outcome of the upcoming elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2024.