ISLAMABAD, April 25: The capital police have taken into custody 150 proclaimed offenders (POs) and court absconders in their crackdown during the last two months.

A police spokesman said here on Wednesday that the arrests were made in different parts of the city. He said the campaign was launched on the directives of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Islamabad Zafar Iqbal.

According to him, the Aabpara police arrested three POs and 35 court absconders, while the Kohsar police nabbed eight POs and two court absconders.

Likewise, four POs and 12 court absconders had been detained by the Margalla police, while a proclaimed offender was arrested by the Industrial Area police.

The Sabzi Mandi police took into custody four POs and four court absconders. The Tarnol police detained two POs, six court absconders and two deserters. The Golra police arrested six POs and three court absconders.

A proclaimed offender, 21 court absconders and three deserters had been nabbed by the Secretariat police, while a proclaimed offender, four court absconders and three deserters had been arrested by the Bhara Kahu police.

The Shahzad Town police detained seven POs and eight court absconders, while the Sihala police took into custody five POs and five court absconders.

The numbers of proclaimed offenders, court absconders and deserters wanted by the Islamabad police were not given by the spokesman. However, the sources told Dawn that they were approximately a thousand in number.

The sources said majority of the proclaimed offenders and court absconders either masterminded the offences or headed criminal gangs. A large number of Afghans are also wanted in connection with different nature of cases, the sources added.