ISLAMABAD: The federal capital has effectively been left at the mercy of malfunctioning traffic signals, overspeeding motorists and weak enforcement after dark, as official data reveals that hardly five per cent of the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) personnel are deployed for night duty — a force already burdened with VIP security responsibilities.
The startling revelation surfaced in a report submitted by the ITP before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in connection with a writ petition highlighting the absence of effective enforcement against unfit vehicles plying city roads.
According to the ITP’s report, out of a total sanctioned strength of 689 personnel, only 38 officers, approximately 5.5 per cent, are assigned to night patrolling.
The small contingent, responsible for the entire federal capital, is simultaneously tasked with managing VIP movement, further stretching its capacity and diverting attention from routine enforcement duties.
The report detailed the composition of the night patrol as one deputy superintendent of police (DSP), two inspectors, 11 sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors, and 24 head constables and constables, a deployment so limited that it leaves the city effectively unmonitored after sunset.
The ITP acknowledged that such a minimal presence has created an enforcement vacuum, allowing reckless driving and signal violations to go unchecked during late hours.
The report painted a grim picture of institutional stagnation amid explosive urban growth.
Since the ITP’s inception in 2006, the number of registered vehicles in Islamabad has surged by an astounding 775.68 per cent, from 169,788 to more than 1.48 million, while the average daily vehicle inflow from adjoining areas has increased by over 107 per cent. Yet, the police strength has remained stagnant at 689 for nearly two decades.
The report further informed that a proposal seeking 2,616 additional posts to meet current operational demands has been pending with the Ministry of Interior’s Secretariat Wing since 2021, leaving the ITP severely understaffed.
The report was submitted by counsel Kashif Ali Malik during proceedings of M/s Lakki Foundation Ltd versus Ministry of Interior, a case in which the petitioner had expressed concern over the movement of transport vehicles without valid fitness certificates, posing risks to commuters’ safety.
The IHC had directed the ITP to explain its enforcement mechanisms. In its response, the ITP clarified that while fitness certificates are issued by the Secretary Road Transport, it regularly penalises drivers operating without valid documentation. In 2024 alone, the ITP issued 2,249 challans for violations related to fitness certificates, collecting fines exceeding Rs2.2 million.
The report also noted that the ITP offices previously located on a green belt along 9th Avenue were demolished and relocated to Faizabad — a move that recently came under judicial scrutiny.
In an earlier hearing, the Islamabad High Court had raised serious questions over the ITP’s unauthorised construction of a recreational park on land owned by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) following the relocation of its previous office near Faizabad.
The court observed that such encroachments not only violated planning regulations but also reflected poorly on the conduct of a law enforcement body expected to uphold civic rules.
The court directed the CDA to clarify how the ITP was permitted to occupy or develop land not allocated for its use and asked the traffic police to provide a detailed account of its facilities and deployment.
Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2025