KARACHI: After a significant drop in crime rate in the wake of Rangers-led operation in the city, the incidents of kidnapping, gang rape and riots have registered an alarming rise not only in Karachi but also in the rest of the province, according to data compiled by police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).

The data obtained by Dawn on Wednesday showed that 557 murders took place between January and July last year while 371 killings were reported during the same period this year, marking a difference of 186 lives.

A total of 737 kidnappings took place in the city during last seven months this year as compared to 722 kidnappings during the same period last year, registering an increase of 15 cases. Since these kidnappings did not lead to payment of ransom as per police’s terminology, the data was silent about the motive of the crime.

The CTD head, Additional Inspector General of Police Dr Sanaullah Abbasi, told Dawn that most of the victims were women who were kidnapped for a host of reasons. Police had arrested 301 suspects involved in such kidnappings, he said.

Police believed the incidents of kidnapping for ransom had dropped significantly as the data revealed that 32 incidents of kidnapping for ransom took place during seven months last year but this year so far, 15 such incidents had been reported.

The other disturbing trend the data showed pertained to gang rape, with a total of 21 incidents reported during last seven months this year as compared to eight such incidents during the same period last year, a rise of 13 cases.

Dr Abbasi said that reporting to police of gang rape incidents had shown an increase nowadays while in past the victims’ families were reluctant to pursue such cases out of shame or other social reasons. Five suspects allegedly involved in gang rape had been arrested in the city this year, he said.

He said that in order to enable police to address women’s issues humanely, police had launched gender-sensitization programme and human rights branches had been set up in all ranges and districts.

Besides, complaints cells had also been established and human rights subject had been introduced in the police training course for sensitizing the personnel to citizens’ rights.

According to the data, riots have registered a significant increase in the metropolis, with a total of 389 incidents reported during last seven months of this year as compared to 270 cases during the same period last year, a rise of 119 cases.

Dr Abbasi believed that the riots were an outcome of masses’ frustration over civic issues and police actions etc.

As far as crime situation in the interior of the province was concerned, a total of 575 murders took place during last seven months as compared to 734 killings in the same period last year.

A total of 27 gang rape incidents were reported this year so far as compared to 13 such cases reported last year while 45 murders were committed this year so far in the name of honour.

As many as 1,150 incidents of riots were reported this year so far as compared to 1,148 such incidents during the same period last year while 783 suspects were arrested.

Similarly, a total of 1,369 incidents of kidnappings took place this year so far as compared to 1,333 such incidents during the same period last year, registering an increase of 36 cases while 956 suspects were arrested.

Encounters

The data showed that total 125 suspects were killed in ‘encounters’ in the city so far this year (30 of the suspects belonged to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and 40 to Lyari gang-war) as compared to 330 suspects killed (161 affiliated with Lyari gang-war and 81 to TTP) during the same period last year.

Police arrested a total of 640 suspects so far this year while 1,025 suspects were apprehended last year during the same period.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2016