ISLAMABAD: The capital police arrested 42 suspected criminals from different areas of the city in the last 48 hours and recovered gold ornaments, vehicles, mobile phones and cash from their possession, a spokesman said on Sunday.

He said following orders from IGP Mohammad Ahsan Younas, a crackdown against criminals had been launched.

A police team headed by SHO Bhara Kahu arrested four suspects involved in a house robbery and recovered gold ornaments worth Rs1.2 million from their possession.

Furthermore, a team from the Sihala police arrested two suspects involved in stealing vehicles and recovered three vehicles.

Meanwhile, Industrial Area police arrested six persons involved in pickpocketing in Sunday bazaars. The police also recovered seven mobile phones and cash from them.

A CIA police team rounded up three suspects and recovered weapons, five mobile phones and Rs65,000 cash from them. The police said the suspects were involved in looting people on gunpoint in Sabzi Mandi, Industrial Area and Koral.

The spokesman said Banigala police during a snap checking arrested a man and recovered a sub-machine gun with ammunition from him while Karachi Company police nabbed three persons after recovering two 9mm pistols and a 12-bore gun from them.

The Secretariat police arrested two persons and recovered 135 grams of hashish while Banigala police recovered 154 gram of hashish from a drug peddler and arrested him. Similarly, Golra and Tarnol police arrested seven people and recovered six pistols with ammunition and seven bottles of liquor from them.

Noon police also arrested a man after recovering 10 litres of liquor while Sabzi Mandi police nabbed two persons and recovered a pistol and a knife from them. Moreover, Koral police arrested three persons with illegal weapons and liquor.

The spokesman said six alleged land grabbers were also arrested during an operation.

On Saturday, police received a call from a citizen that some land grabbers were trying to occupy his land. In response, police reached the spot and arrested six suspects. The police also seized weapons and a vehicle from them. A case has been registered in the Koral police station.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has decided to take action against public service vehicles involved in non-completion of routes, misbehaviour with passengers and overloading.

“Strict action will be taken against transporters violating traffic routes. The purpose is to provide better traffic facilities to the citizens,” said SSP (Traffic) Rai Mazhar Iqbal.

He said special squads had already been constituted to check the route violation and a helpline - 051-9261992,93 or 1915 - has been established to resolve public grievances.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2022