LAHORE, Sept 5: Inspector General of Police Punjab Habibur Rehman has claimed that robberies in banks and jewellery shops have almost been reined in the provincial capital due to proactive policing and smash of several gangs involved in heinous crimes.

Presiding over a meeting held at the Police Lines in Qila Gujjar Singh to review the security and crime situation in Lahore on Wednesday, the IG said the arrest of hardened criminals would not only help police maintain law and order but also further bring down the crimes rate.

DIG (Operations) Rai Muhammad Tahir, DIG (Investigations) Chaudhry Muhammad Shafique, SSP (Investigations) Babar Bakhat Qureshi, SP (Headquarters) Hasan Mushtaq Sukhera and all divisional SPs were also present.

The IG said the police were committed to making Lahore a crime-free city and to root out criminals and crimes from across the province as well.

He said the Lahore police, especially the CIA, needed appreciation for arresting criminals involved in the killing of a senior member of Lahore Bar Association Nasrullah Warraich.

All divisional SPs briefed the IG about the crimes situation in their respective areas.

Later, the IG gave away commendation certificates to officials of the Lahore police for ensuring extraordinary security arrangements during Ramazan.

He rewarded Rs100,000 to CIA SP Omar Virk for his performance, while all divisional SPs were given Rs20,000 each.

About the arrest of PPP senior leader Shaukat Basra, the police chief said it was not a police station, but is was the IG office which was not a proper forum for such kind of arrest.

Meanwhile, addressing an open-court held at a marriage hall on Ferozepur Road, the IG said since the police department was the first ladder of the criminal justice system, it was the basic responsibility of the police to provide free and speedy justice to victims at every cost.

A large number of people were present in the open court while the IG listened to their problems and complaints and issued on-the-spot orders for the redressal of their grievances.

The IG suspended a constable from service for torturing a student in the Satukatla police station.