The capital police have decided to reactivate its Crime Investigation Department (CID) police station.

The CID police station was opened in 2010 but it remained functional for only a few months. Due to the lack of interest by the then senior police officers and the unavailability of funds, it was later closed.

The CID of the capital police was established in 2006. It was to work under the supervision of an SSP to investigate terrorism and high-profile cases in a specialised manner and through modern and sophisticated equipment. But due to the lack of interest, a DSP level officer was tasked to supervise it.

A senior police officer told Dawn that the idea to establish the CID police station was floated in 2010 by the then SP CID, Kamran Adil, as officials in the police stations were not able to investigate terrorism cases properly. Besides, due to the poor prosecution, the terror suspects even after being arrested could not be punished, he added.

Later, his successor SP Liaquat Ali Malik prepared the project concept of the CID police station. It was the third CID police station to be set up in the country after Karachi and Lahore.

But the jurisdiction of Karachi and Lahore CID police stations was limited to their cities, whereas the CID police station Islamabad had the mandate to act against terror suspects and criminals anywhere in the country and bring them to the federal capital.

Eighty police officials, including inspectors, sub-inspectors, assistant-sub inspectors, head constables and constables, were drawn from the Anti-Terrorism Squad and investigation wing and appointed in the CID police station.

Similarly, Rs80 million were sought to equip the police station with high-tech surveillance system besides establishing torture-free investigation rooms. Modern and sophisticated weapons were also demanded for the officials deployed at the police station.

But neither the desired strength of the officials nor any equipment was provided to the police station. In July 2010, the police station was established at the old building of Shahzad Town police where now the Bani Gala police station is housed. Inspector Mohammad Hussain Lasi was appointed as the SHO but after a few weeks he was replaced with Inspector Younus Gujjar.

The CID police station remained operational for a few months during which it was given the task to investigate an assassination attempt on federal religious affairs minister Hamid Sayed Kazimi on Garden Road on September 2, 2009.

Another officer said the activation of the police station was necessary to deal with terrorism cases. Though the wave of terrorism is gradually decreasing, reactivating the CID police station will help the police check high-profile incidents and improve the working of its prosecution.

The main concept behind the establishment of the police station was to combat terrorism and high-profile crimes in an effective manner with modern and sophisticated technology.

The police station would also be responsible for investigating high-profile criminal cases, including murder, rape and kidnapping for ransom. The police station will work independently under a station house officer with the SSP as its supervisory officer. It could also register a case and investigate it, which would be helpful in prosecuting the case effectively. Normally, most of the terror suspects are arrested by intelligence and law enforcement agencies who after completing their interrogations hand them over to the police for the registration of a case against them.

As the police station staff has nothing to do with the arrest, interrogation and recovery, they fail to prepare a strong case against the terrorists, which help them in getting acquittal from courts.

The police officer said the CID police station was being reactivated and made operational by following all the legal procedures. Demands for the strength, equipment and weapons have been made which would be approved soon.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2014