Crime analysis: More cases, less crime this year in Islamabad

Police arrested 58 terrorists, recovered 935kg of explosives.

Despite more criminal cases being registered in the capital, the city’s overall crime rate decreased significantly in 2011, said a press release issued by the Islamabad police.

A total of 6,548 cases were registered as compared to 6,480 cases last year. However, comparisons reveal a reduction of 53.8% in armed robberies, 80% in kidnapping incident, 48% in motorbike thefts, 1.2% in car thefts, 27.3% in incidents of thefts and 16.8% in burglaries, police said.

In 2011, 115 murder cases were registered as compared to 134 cases in the corresponding period of last year while 320 hurt cases were registered as compared to 336 the last year.

The police said the number of registered cases rose because the police was active, seizing more contrabands such as weapons, narcotics and alcohol.

Around 14,721 alleged criminals, including 400 proclaimed offenders, 1,050 court absconders, 1,632 gangsters and 267 gamblers were arrested during the year, while Rs257 million in cash and valuables were recovered.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Bani Amin said that citizens are and should be proud of the fact that Islamabad police have always performed diligently and respond quickly to distress calls from the public. “Performance of the capital police can be gauged from the fact that number of aborted terrorist plots and detection of crime in the capital is more than any other district police across the country,” he maintained.

In 2011, the police arrested 58 terrorists and recovered 34 hand grenades, 10 suicide jackets, five rocket launchers, 88 Kalashnikovs, 80 carbines, 766 pistols, 38,688 rounds, 15 missiles and 935 kilogram explosives, among other equipment from their possession.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2011.