ISLAMABAD: Registration of criminal cases in the capital fell to 29 per cent as the police registered only 6,253 cases despite officially receiving 21,222 complaints related to separate criminal activities in the city from January to April, Dawn has learnt.

Talking to Dawn, police officers said the police officially received around 21,222 complaints, as e-tags were issued to them. However, only 6,253 cases were registered, bringing the registration rate to 29.46 per cent. The remaining 14,969 complaints were officially received, but cases were not registered on them.

Out of the total 21,222 complaints received, at least 2,205 were related to dacoities, robberies, snatching, burglaries and auto thefts, but only 1,553 cases were registered.

The capital police’s City, Sadar, Industrial Area, Soan and Rural Zones issued e-tags to 5,388, 5,101, 3,851, 3,486 and 3,396 complaints respectively, the officers said. However, City, Sadar, Industrial Area, Soan and Rural Zones registered only 1,071, 1,658, 978, 1,434 and 1,112 cases respectively.

Police officers allege underreporting and figure fudging to downplay crime rate in the capital

The registration percentage of cases in City, Sadar, Industrial Area, Soan and Rural Zones stood at 19.87, 32.5, 25.3, 41.1 and 32.7 respectively.

The officers said the actual number of complaints regarding criminal activities was much higher, as e-tags were not issued to hundreds of other complaints submitted at police stations. Such a practice was being carried out in an attempt to downplay the crime rate in the city, they added.

Non-registration of an FIR is an offence under the law, and according to Section 154 of the CrPC, the police are bound to register FIRs on each and every complaint received.

In practice, and according to the SOPs, the police issue e-tags only after confirming the occurrence of a crime or illegal activity. After receiving information about a crime, the Dolphin Squad or a patrolling team responds and, after due verification, informs the area police.

The area police also reach the spot, collect details and ask the victim to lodge a written complaint.

An e-tag is issued to the complaint to maintain a database and count the number of complaints and the actual crime figures. In case of a fake call or false information, the police register a case against the complainant, and so far three such cases have been registered.

The officers added that e-tags were not issued for non-cognisable offences and complaints over which the police had doubts.

The officers said officers concerned were involved in figure fudging of crime data to downplay crime figures. According to the Safe City Islamabad Authority’s crime data, there were 2,025 incidents, including three dacoities, 580 robberies, 263 snatchings, 458 burglaries and 901 auto thefts, in Islamabad during the period. However, the police registered only 1,553 cases, including 420 robberies, 192 snatchings, 255 burglaries, 682 auto theft incidents and four dacoity cases.

According to data collected from police sources, there were a total of six dacoities, including three in January and one each in March and April. A man was murdered during a house dacoity, while two more persons were murdered in separate robberies. Besides, 22 persons were injured, including some with gunshot wounds, in separate dacoities and robberies.

Apart from the 1,553 cases registered by the police, there were also 474 theft cases, including house theft incidents, taking the total number of criminal activities involving dacoities, robberies, snatching, burglaries, thefts and auto thefts to 2,027.

During these criminal activities, the culprits looted cash amounting to Rs582 million, valuables worth Rs643 million, gold weighing 300 tolas, 52 vehicles, 945 motorcycles and 942 mobile phones from across the capital.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Jawad Tariq, when contacted, said, “Not all e-tags are for cognisable offences.

Only cognisable ones are converted into FIRs.”

Later, the police PRO Branch issued a statement claiming that during the first four months of 2026, overall crime in Islamabad decreased by 36pc compared to 2025, while a 50pc reduction was recorded in April alone.

However, the figures issued by the PRO Branch contradicted the figures of Safe City and the cases registered by the police.

During the period, 98 fewer robberies were reported compared to last year. Besides, motorcycle snatching dropped to 92 cases from 129. Likewise, street robberies and mobile snatching decreased to 185 cases from 377, while car theft cases dropped to 34 from 151, and motorcycle theft incidents decreased to 642.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2026