ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday acknowledged the influx of Afghan nationals in Islamabad and said there was a need to pay attention to the matter.

Replying to a question asked by PTI dissident MNA Wajhia Qamar, State Minister for Law Shahadat Awan admitted that there was an influx of Afghans in the capital.

Earlier, in a written reply to a question by MNA Shamsun Nisa that what steps were being taken by the government to control the rising crime rate in Islamabad, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that the capital police had taken steps, including identification of crime pockets, crime cluster analysis, database (survey of slums) and intelligence-based policing.

Besides, combing/searching operations, random checking of guest houses, hotels and motels, survey of rented accommodations, illegal settlements and surveillance of suspected elements were being carried out. Action is also initiated against illegal Afghan residents besides data proofing of released prisoners and monitoring through safe city cameras.

Ratio of crime in capital has considerably decreased after establishment of Eagle Squad, minister claims in NA

Moreover, Eagle Squad has been established in Islamabad on the pattern of Dolphin Force of Punjab to control crime. He claimed that the ratio of crime had considerably decreased after the establishment of Eagle Squad, adding gangs of robbers had been busted.

“Patrolling has been enhanced in the crime areas and the police are already performing duties for the protection of life and property of the citizens, especially during public events and gatherings with available recourse as per law.”

When the MNA asked from where the minister had gotten the data, State Minister Shahadat Awan on behalf of the interior minister said it was a fact the crime rate had not declined at the level it should have been.

MNA Aliya Kamran of the JUI-F did not agree with the minister and the figures provided by him. There is an increase in the crime despite the Safe City project. The government claimed that the number of cameras had been increased however criminals cannot be identified and spotted through the recording of these cameras as their quality is poor, she added.

Theft incidents at houses are taking place frequently and culprits loot motorcycles at gunpoint every day, she said, adding the minister should read newspapers of the last few months so he would get an idea of the crime situation in the city.

According to the crime figure provided to the house by the minister, there were 177 murders, 68 rape, 35 dacoity cases, 3,058 robberies, 2,524 thefts, 375 hurts, 673 vehicle thefts, 3,276 motorcycle thefts reported to police.

The minister of state said the government sealed 36 brick kilns in the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) on violation of child labour laws besides registering cases against the violators.

Replying to various supplementary questions during the question hour, he said that although labour welfare including labour legislation was now a devolved subject after 18th constitutional amendments but currently various laws were enforced to stop child labour.

He said the laws which were enforced in ICT included the Factories Act 1934, Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969, the Employment of Children Act 1991, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1992 and Employment of Children Rules 1995.

Similarly, Punjab Prohibition of Child Labour at Brick Kilns Act 2016, the Punjab Restriction on Employment Children Act 2016, the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2018, the Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act 2017, Sindh Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 2015, Sindh Factories Act 2015, Sindh Commercial Establishment Act 2015, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Rules 2015 and Balochistan Employment of Children (Prohibition Regulation) Act 2021 were enforced in provinces, he said.

The minister said inspection teams at provincial level regularly conducted raids and not only registered cases but also imposed fine on violators of the laws.

Stressing the need to create awareness among the citizens about unlawful employment of minor children as domestic workers and their mistreatment by the employers, he said that the government would pay more attention to curb the menace effectively.

Responding to a calling attention notice raised by Aliya Kamran regarding unlawful employment of minor children as domestic workers, he said it was a grave issue and the government was cognizant of its responsibility.

The minister also urged parents to send their children to schools rather than forcing them to become domestic workers.

Mr Awan also said Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had arrested 470 human smugglers and got convicted 364 of them during the last four years.

The minister said the FIA was taking action against those involved in human smuggling and had registered 889 cases under the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act 2018 since 2020. About 2016 Pakistanis were identified travelling on fake/forged documents against whom 971 cases were registered and 104 smugglers/agents were arrested during the period, he said.

To a separate question, Mr Awan said no air ambulance service was available at the Capital Hospital.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2023