Beauties among the beasts: Women criminals numbering in the hundreds

Peshawar home to over 9,000 male and female proclaimed offenders

PESHAWAR: People usually think of men when the term proclaimed offender is mentioned, but the rising number of females on that undistinguished list shows women in K-P are not immune from committing a crime or two. Some of the acts include murder and kidnapping.

Of the 487 women declared proclaimed offenders, 174 are from the provincial capital, while 52 of them are in Mardan and 39 in Kohat, among others.

A police official tells The Express Tribune that the overall number of proclaimed offenders in the province is alarmingly high at 28,203. “The number has increased rapidly over the past few years as police have been preoccupied with battling terrorists,” he says. “There is also a lack of effective investigation techniques and interest on the part of the police as well as the government.”

He adds that once upon a time, the police may have been able to chase a criminal fleeing to certain parts of Fata. However, the rise of militancy meant tribal areas became inaccessible, thereby increasing the number of proclaimed offenders.

“What is most interesting is that there are several hundred women on the list,” he says, adding they are involved in smuggling, murder and are members of kidnapping gangs.

Along with having the most women on the list, Peshawar is also in the unenviable position of hosting the highest number of proclaimed offenders at 9,246.

In addition, 2,356 proclaimed offenders come from the tribal areas.

“We have information that around 26 proclaimed offenders have escaped to foreign countries,” says an official. He adds 376 people on the list are from other provinces, but wanted by the K-P police for various cases.

“In Peshawar, there are 1,443 proclaimed offenders originally from Fata, and 283 from other provinces.” He says more attention is required to keep a check on these numbers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2015.