VIPs of the other kind squirm as police ranks swell

CITIZENS of Islamabad see more and more policemen in the city and wonder: For whose protection?

Their duties and deployments make it obvious that they are here for the protection of the high and mighty VIPs — the Very Important Persons of the land and far-off places — while the crime-hit common citizens, VIPs of another kind — the Very Ignored Persons, are left to stew in their own frustrations.

The difference between the two kinds of VIPs is explained by a maxim: An unjust society causes and defines crime, and law and order is one of the instruments it uses to perpetuate injustice.

The truth of this statement is a living memory for most of us. A hungry man is punished for stealing food or money, but non-payment of bank loans by a billionaire is not a crime but the loans are written off instead.

And the less said the better about what was lauded as ‘jihad’ yesterday and is denounced as ‘terrorism’ today.

Ask a local policeman to prioritise his duties and the answer would, most probably, be “to protect the VIPs first and the ordinary citizens later”.

The men in blue uniform pretend to be the protectors of only government officials, influentials and VIPs, as their reaction and reply are too quick for them.

Besides, the claim of the city police that the capital is under various threats of terrorist activities and they are on roads to hunt the terrorists leaving the citizens at the mercy of the criminals.

The senior police officers are always quick enough to publicise their ‘performance’ if they apprehend the criminals and recover booty from them.

Latest statistics show an increase in crimes, murders, car thefts, robberies and burglaries in Islamabad. A slight decrease has been reported in night burglaries and dacoities.

A total of 3,069 incidents of murder and attempted murder, robbery, burglary, theft, kidnapping and auto-lifting were reported during January to July 20 compared to 2,384 incidents last year.

The capital police offer lame excuses for their failure in curbing crimes. One of them is that criminals from neighbouring cities have replaced the Afghan refugees who were the usual suspects in the past.

The capital city was put on high-alert or red-alert many times during the last six months after intelligence reports that suicide attackers and explosive-laden vehicles have entered the city. However, they succeeded in capturing only one terrorist with the vehicle.

Despite mounted surveillance at exit and entry points of the city on such occasions, criminals, however, could still make forays into the city and escape with their booty of stolen vehicles and goods, raising questions about police efficiency and credence.

Police are just content with “tracing” the culprit as if it is not important to arrest them and try them.

According to police data, 66 murders took place during the last six months as compared to 64 in the period last year.

Ten of the 66 murder incidents took place in the jurisdiction of the Kohsar police, followed by seven each in the Koral, Tarnol and Golra police stations, six in the Shahzad Town, five each in the Sabzi Mandi and Bhara Kahu, four each in the Industrial Area, Aabpara and Margalla, three in the Shalimar, two in the Nilor and one each in the Secretariat and Sihala police stations.

Incidents of attempted murder this year stood at 65 against 70 last year.

Fatal road accidents dropped slightly — 56 during the period in review to 78 last year. But non-fatal accident rose slightly — 67 compared to 63 last year. Car theft is on the rise. Despite their claims of busting several gangs, police have failed utterly to curb the crime.

During the last six months 414 vehicles, including 304 cars and 47 motorcycles were either snatched at gunpoint or stolen from different parts of the city. If the minimum value of a stolen car and other vehicles is taken as Rs300,000, then 367 car owners alone lost more than Rs110 millions.

Out of the total vehicles, 103 were either snatched or stolen from the precincts of the Margalla police station, 80 from the Shalimar, 77 from the Industrial Area, 43 from the Aabpara, 39 from the Sabzi Mandi, 34 from Kohsar, 10 from the Secretariat, eight from the Shahzad Town, five each from the Tarnol, Sihala and Kural, four from the Golra, and one from Bhara Kahu.

During the same period of last year, 223 cars, 43 other vehicles and 15 motorcycles were stolen.

From January 1 to July 20 total number of 134 robberies, 72 burglaries, 123 thefts, 157 cases of body hurt and 71 kidnapping and rape cases were reported in last six months as compared to 13 incidents of dacoities, 102 robberies, 74 burglaries, 90 theft cases, 114 hurt incidents and 44 kidnapping and rape cases of the corresponding period last year.