Scorecard: City police deny fake shootout allegations

CPO said the city police had arrested more than 5,000 proclaimed offenders and 1,150 court absconders in six months.

FAISALABAD:

The impression that the police are faking shootouts to kill criminals is unfounded, City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana said on Monday.

He was speaking to the media about the performance of city police in the first half of the current year.

The CPO said deaths of several policemen in shootouts with criminals showed that these were actual fights.

He said the city police had arrested more than 5,000 proclaimed offenders and 1,150 court absconders in six months.

He said the number of cases pending trial had come down form 25,000 – when he joined the office – to 2,000. “The police have been warned against delaying production of suspects in the courts for seeking a remand,” he said. He said 5,453 suspects were produced before the court immediately following arrests in the period.

The CPO said there were 42 police posts in the district to maintain law and order.

The CPO said 16,665 cases were registered in police stations across the city in the first half of the year, 4,975 less than those registered in the same period last year. This, he said, showed that the crime rate had fallen over the year.

Kidnappings for ransom

The city police have arrested 23 suspects in 12 cases of kidnapping-for-ransom. Those abducted have safely been recovered.

Robbery, theft suspects

The police have busted 64 criminal gangs and arrested 343 people suspected of robbery and theft and recovered stolen property worth Rs76 million from them.

Narcotics

As many as 2,358 drug trafficking cases have been registered and 129 kilos of heroin, 380 kilos of charas, 3.75 kilos of opium and 3,553 bottles of liquor seized in raids.

Unlicenced weapons

As many as 1,920 cases of possession of illicit weapons have been registered and 39 Kalashnikovs, 134 rifles, 295 shotguns, 80 revolvers and 1,355 pistols seized in raids.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2012.