Crimes up in Punjab
THE Punjab province has experienced seven Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) over the last three years but none of them, has made any dent on crime in the province, which has seen an alarming increase over the same period.
Same shuffled situation remained in Punjab Civil Secretariat and District Management Group (DMG).
Abrupt shuffling of the officers have badly undermined their performances. Ministers and members of the Assembly compel the officers for their illegal and unjustified benefits.
Their unnecessary political influences have shattered writ of the state and justice system. Crime has increased by 23 % during current year.
A sum of 2,90,187 cases are registered this year as compared to the first half of the previous one, when 1,78,939 cases were registered.
This year, challans have been issued in 1,64,869 and 47,147 cases are being investigated. Only in the Punjab province increase took place in murders, rapes, robbery, theft and kidnapping for ransom.
As many as 14,627 have been murdered, 1476 ladies and minor girls raped and 5,835 abducted in different districts of Punjab during last six months.
Theft also witnessed a massive spike. A total number of 19,600 cars and motorcycles have been stolen since January. Of the cars and motorcycles stolen this year, 3,648 were snatched at gun point. Alarmingly 5462 ladies were looted at gunpoint while 117 were gang raped. As many as 18,658 highway robbery cases were reported.
Some 4,923 cases of robbery in homes and shops were registered. Police could arrest only 919 wanted criminals.
Frequent shuffling of IGPs and Secretaries are example of confused policy which has created uncertainty among subordinate officers and obstructed the formation of a concrete policy. None of six IGPs could complete even one year in service.
Despite increase in the budget allocated for the Punjab police every year, no appropriate strategy has been devised to control crime. Police rather has become the protector of the criminals.
Across the province police stations have become centres of crimes. Criminals commit crimes and remain at large because of political shelters and bribes. Politicians provide shelter to criminals and influence investigating police officers.
Innocents are being murdered and women are being looted of their ornaments on gunpoint at their doorsteps. For instance orphan Humera Khaliq and her widow mother Adeela Khaliq were looted on gunpoint at their doorstep in Lahore.
The ladies somehow got FIR registered in police station but the accused has not been arrested so far.
In another incident the other day in chak 111 – 15/ L, Mohsin wal, Muhammad Abbas Abbasa who has already murdered several, kidnapped for ransom and is notorious narcotics trafficker murdered Muhammad Latif a farmer in a grocery shop of the village in the presence of eye witnesses and walked away fearlessly.
The murderer is refuged by the local influential politician and member of Parliament. The widow of the deceased is pursuing the case for the arrest of the murderer but police doesn’t arrest the murderer because he bribes the police and is in refuge.
Land grabbers are confidently grabbing lands of the people in the province. In chak 3-8/R, Mian Channu, 22 acres agriculture land of Syed Hasan Raza advocate is grabbed by land mafia and the local Member of Assembly.
A few days before a criminal Asif Mehboob who claims to be member of Kisan Ittehad accompanied by several others forcefully entered the court of Assistant Commissioner Dipalpur Asif Hussain and attacked him.
The criminals attacked the officer because he wanted to have decision of a matter according to his will which Assistant Commissioner refused on merit. If the State is unable to safeguard it’s functionaries in the courts how can one expect protection of life and property of poor citizens.
Is attacking the Assistant Commissioner in his honourable court not trespassing and challenging to the writ of the state? So much so residential plot of brother in law of Prime Minister Imran Khan was grabbed by the land mafia in Lahore.
Prime Minister has to change three IGPs to get the grabbed plot back to his brother in law. Keeping in view the case of brother in law of Premier Imran Khan one can imagine up-to what extent the law and order situation has gone worst. If PM IK has to struggle for the right of his relative what will be the condition of misery of an ordinary citizen.
Open bribes and political influences are on rise and very common in the executive administrative and police departments in the entire country especially in the Punjab province. To enhance the performance and deliverance of the police it is obligation of the government to meet all the requirements of the police stations.
For routine official matters sufficient stationary, fuel and maintenance of the vehicles should be provided to the police stations. The funds should also be provided for maintenance of washrooms, lockups, barracks and the provision of clean drinking water.
The officials should be provided pick and drop facility. The families of the police officials should be provided with best of the health and academics. The Police officials are humiliated by the officers and politicians.
Resultantly, they become reactionary and brutal and start taking revenge from the innocent and help seeking masses. After providing quality facilities to the police staffers we should expect positive services from them.
Political influence and open bribes have enhanced crime rate. To control crimes government will have to control bribe and political influence.
—The writer, based in Islamabad, is book ambassador, columnist and author of several books.
