Addressing security: In capital, one policeman for 700 civilians

Additional manpower, community watch systems suggested as solutions to crime.

ISLAMABAD:

There is a valid reason for the sense of insecurity that people in Islamabad feel, according to a senior police official. That reason is the alarming people-police ratio, with one policeman responsible for providing security to more than 700 people, Islamabad Police Operations Senior Superintendent (SSP) Malik Yousaf said on Wednesday.

Addressing a conference on “Urban Security and the Role of Citizens”, organised by the Capital Development Authority Environment Directorate, he said that people shied from becoming witnesses in many heinous crimes, thus hurting the chances of the police to successfully investigate these cases.

“Without citizens’ cooperation, the police cannot deliver,” he said.

Other speakers at the conference shared their personnel experiences in security-related issues. A resident of Defence Housing Authority told the participants that on average, 10 to 13 theft incidents took place at DHA every month, but the authority had strictly asked residents not to leak out this information.

Masoof Mufti, a former federal secretary, termed Islamabad the city of ‘mute’ people because they are not ready to raise voice against the cruel policies of the rulers.

He said that the simple definition of urban security is “a place where people enjoy complete physical, mental, health and education security”, but at present, the state has failed to protect its citizens from all such odds.

Professor Jalil Hali said that despite Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s intervention, the Rawalpindi police could not recover his looted valuables, except a mobile phone. He said that the police only engaged him in futile correspondence.

Islamabad Additional Deputy Commissioner General Dr Ehtisham Anwar said that ‘thekri pehra’ (a community watch system for security) had proven to be a successful exercise in curbing crime in the city and that police should revive it with the help of the community.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2011.