ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Abdul Rehman Kanju on Monday admitted on the floor of the National Assembly (NA) that street crime had increased in the capital and that the F-9 rape incident had caused a sense of insecurity among residents.

However, he claimed that the government was taking effective steps to ensure safety of citizens.

The minister made these comments, while responding to a calling attention notice, moved by PTI Member of National Assembly (MNA) Asiya Azeem regarding increase in crimes against women in Islamabad.

The minister told the house that an increase in population was the main reason behind the increase in street crime in the capital.

Elaborating on steps being taken by the government to control crime, the minister said Eagle Squad had been formed for patrolling streets on motorcycles, claiming that there had been a significant decline in the crime rate since formation of the squad.

Mr Kanju claimed that since the start of the year, not a single case of house robbery had been reported in the capital.

As far as crimes against women are concerned, Mr Kanju claimed that it was because of the government’s directives to the police to register every first information report (FIR) in this regard.

Previously, he said, registration of FIR was discouraged and most cases were not being reported.

He, however, claimed that out of 3,000 to 3,500 cases, majority were registered by parents of girls over marriage issues. He said 90 per cent of these cases were disposed of by the courts when these girls appeared before the courts and said that they had married with their own will.

Giving further details, the minister said that he was surprised to know that the post of park manager did not exist at all in F-9 Park. He said now a park manager had been appointed, besides installation of 100 cameras.

Eagle Squad personnel had been deployed in the park for horse patrolling, he said, adding that besides this, the number of watchmen had been increased from 16 to 22.

The minister then made some political remarks, stating that the Islamabad Police must be appreciated for facing armed mobs every now and then while carrying no arms.

Earlier, while raising the issue, Ms Azeem said as per a 2022 police report 9,804 cases were registered over crimes against women with a 141 percent increase as compared to the previous year.

If there is a situation of law and order in a planned and small city like Islamabad, what could one say about the rest of the country, Ms Azeem said, adding that the police was only deployed for protocol and security of big shots.

Everyone is feeling insecure in the capital, she added.

On the other hand, police officers told Dawn that there was massive decrease in the registration of cases in the capital. The ratio of case registration against criminal activities in the capital in 2021 was 96 percent and 86 percent in 2022 with a 10 percent decrease.

During the current year, Jan 1 to Feb 28, 2023, the ratio of case registration against criminal activities in the capital was 63 percent, they added.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2023