Surge in crime rate overwhelms ICT police

High-ups replace 16 SHOs amid rise in crimes

ISLAMABAD:

After closing the daily crime diary to cover up the sharp spike in the crime rate in the federal capital, the Islamabad police have made significant changes in their ranks by replacing sixteen Station House Officers (SHOs) who failed to control the situation.

Despite this reshuffle, twenty-three incidents of street crime, motorcycle theft, and mobile snatching have been reported in various areas.

According to police sources, SHO Khurram Shabbir of the Aabpara police station has been transferred and replaced by Adeel Shaukat. SHO Nadeem Tahir of the Kohsar police station has been replaced by Shafqat Faiz, who has been reassigned to the area. Nadeem Tahir has been appointed as the SHO of the newly established Sumbal police station, replacing Tajammul Hussain Shah.

Sub-Inspector Fazal Khaliq has been posted to the Golra police station, and Ishtiaq Hussain has taken over as SHO of the I-9 police station.

Kamal Khan, the previous SHO of I-9, has been posted to the Lohi Bhir police station. The Women's police station has seen the removal of its SHO, with Sub-Inspector Misbah Shehbaz reassigned to the position.

In addition to these changes, five senior officers of the capital police have also been transferred, including one Grade 19 officer and four Grade 17 officers. These transfers were made quietly on Saturday night, with senior officers attempting to keep them from the media, similar to their efforts to conceal the daily crime diary. Abdul Haq Umrani, a Grade 19 officer and AIG Operations has been appointed as AIG General Development.

Ali Raza, a Grade 17 officer, has been transferred from SDPO Shehzad Town to SP Swan Zone. Asad Iqbal, another Grade 17 officer, has been given the responsibilities of both the SDPO Secretariat and SDPO Kohsar. Muhammad Fayyaz Khan Shinwari, previously awaiting deployment, has been appointed as SDPO Diplomatic Enclave, and Ghulam Qasim has been appointed as DSP Security and Dolphin Squad.

Sources have revealed that the ongoing street crimes and theft incidents have left an additional twenty-three citizens deprived of a car, seven motorcycles, ten mobile phones, cash, and other valuables. So far, the police stations concerned have been unable to trace any of these incidents. Previously, a total of a dozen officers, including the SPs of the three zones of the federal police, were transferred.

SSP Operations Malik Jameel Zafar was removed and appointed as DG of Safe City. Despite all measures, the series of street crimes and thefts in the federal capital continue unabated.

Reports indicate that a mobile phone and cash were snatched from two individuals walking within the limits of the Golra police station at gunpoint, and a citizen's Honda Civic was stolen from the limits of the Sabzi Mandi police station. Other incidents have occurred in the City, Rural, Saddar, and Swan zones. Police sources state that on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has issued strict orders to federal police officials to register an FIR for every incident without exception.

Despite this directive, serious crimes, especially armed robbery, motorcycle and car thefts, and armed dacoity remain uncontrolled in the federal capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2024.