Punjab police spent over Rs230m to bring back fugitives fleeing abroad

A high-octane criminal chase looks thrilling on a larger-than-life cinema screen. In reality, however, such endeavours undertaken by a cash-strapped economy only push the nation further towards bankruptcy.

According to documents obtained by The Express Tribune, the Punjab Police is currently pursuing hundreds of criminals wanted for serious offences such as murder, terrorism, extortion, and targeted killings. These offenders are residing in countries including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Libya, while some are hiding in various European countries.

Extraditing one fugitive costs the government between Rs 300,000 and Rs 500,000. Over Rs 230 million has already been spent bringing criminals back from abroad. Reportedly, more than 5,000 proclaimed offenders have fled overseas.

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During the last three years, over 380 absconders have been arrested abroad and repatriated: 147 in 2023, 129 in 2024, and 103 until November 2025. Most of these arrests occurred in the Middle East.

Former IG Police and Railway Police, Asif Nawaz Warraich, explained that many absconders escaped the country illegally, making their capture a challenging task. “Most of the absconders abroad hail from Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, although others from different regions are also included. With the current digitization drive and the creation of a proper database, it will become increasingly difficult for criminals to escape in the future,” said Warraich.

In contrast, former Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Pakistan, Syed Tehseen Anwar Ali Shah, expressed disappointment over the poor performance of the police, which allowed suspects to flee in the first place.

“It is only when suspects have left the country that the police approach the FIA for their travel history. Investigative officers often spend months or even years without making progress, and it is only when another agency discovers that the suspect has fled that the police and related departments spring into action. The police must improve their investigative mechanisms and leverage modern technology to arrest fugitives within the country,” said Shah.

A police officer, who has brought back many fugitives from the Middle East and Europe, claimed that the government paid for their air tickets, while the rest of the expenses were borne by the police team from their own pockets. “Once a fugitive is taken into Interpol custody, the return to Pakistan generally takes three to five days. Extraditing an absconder is a tough and demanding job, and government support is crucial for the teams involved,” the officer added.

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On the other hand, Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Administrative Sciences at the University of Punjab, Professor Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry, suggested that investigative funds amounting to millions of rupees provided to the police should be audited to ensure proper utilization.

“Until the investigative system is improved, culprits will continue to escape abroad, and the police will spend millions of rupees to arrest them. If the same amount is used to improve the police system, crimes can be contained within the country, and offenders can be brought to justice without spending large sums on their arrest,” said Chaudhry. He further suggested that the government should reconsider the allocation of funds to the police, as these funds are often misused for political purposes rather than system improvement.

Conversely, a Punjab Police spokesperson claimed that serious efforts were being made in collaboration with the FIA, Interpol, and other departments to bring back criminals involved in major offences. “Over the past three years, hundreds of such criminals have been brought back from the Middle East, Europe, and other regions through Interpol,” said the official.