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KARACHI: Around 300 per cent increase in number of policemen in ‘security zone’ exclusively set up for the protection of senior officials, politicians, businessmen and influential individuals has left the regular police force under strength and thus unable to deal with rampant street crime, it emerged on Sunday.
While the shortage has seriously affected the performance of the law-enforcement agency at the police station level, the police authorities sounded concerned but helpless in making policies regarding the city policing requirements.
Currently more than 1,000 residents rely on one policeman for their security in Karachi where street crime remains beyond the control of law-enforcers and terrorism threats are received off and on.
“To provide security to senior officers and government officials, a security zone was set up a few years ago with a sanctioned strength of 1,000,” said an official citing data of Karachi police force serving in different units of the department.
He said, “After a few months, it was realised that apart from the high-ups and senior government officials, people from different walks of life needed police guards for their protection. So to meet their demand, security zone-II was set up with a sanctioned strength of 1,300.
“With a rise in demand, their strength was increased over the years and right now some 3,000 policemen are performing duties in security zone-II and nearly 2,000 in security zone-I,” he added.Having a total strength of 34,000 officials, the city police is often criticised over rampant street crime that every now and then also claim the life of common people. But the police authorities cite staff shortage as one of the major reasons for their failure to handle the situation.
“In Karachi, there are 112 police stations where hardly 18,000 policemen are deputed,” said the official. “The remaining 16,000 perform security duties to protect those associated with the specialised units of police, traffic police and administrative work, while some of them are posted at the houses of senior police officers.”
In contrast, he said, there were 81 police stations in Lahore, with 29,800 policemen, including 3,000 traffic officials.
The authorities should review the policing strategy for the country’s vibrant economic hub, which is home to nearly 18 million people, he said.
The people at the helm of affairs are aware that the force is not only understaffed but also ill-equipped to deal with such a huge crime rate. Recent backdoor meetings between the city police chief with the Sindh governor and a key member of the provincial cabinet reflect the level of urge within the department that desperately seeks immediate induction of some 5,500 policemen solely for the city.
“One can’t deny the importance of security of key officials or individuals,” said Akhtar Hussain Ghorchani, additional inspector-general of police.
“But at the same time this is also true that withdrawal of policemen from regular force for that particular task compromises police performance at the police station level, which has prime importance.”
He confirmed to Dawn that he had recently met the home minister and the governor for induction of 5,500 policemen to increase the city police strength that he said was ‘badly needed’.
