ISLAMABAD: Over 7,000 proclaimed offenders are wanted by the capital police in connection with various crimes, including terrorism, murder, rape and kidnapping for ransom.

The capital police officials told Dawn that in the last two years, the number of POs had increased to 7,393 from 4,480 in 2022. In 2018, the number was 3,273.

One of the major reasons for the rise in the number of POs is a sharp increase in crime in the capital as well as police engagements in law and order duties, which have sharply risen since 2022.

The other reasons include the lack of resources which hampered the efforts to trace the POs and the involvement of senior officers in non-policing matters and engaging their subordinates as well, they added. Some of the POs have been at large for the last couple of decades, the officials added.

Number of POs rise to 7,393 in 2024 from 4,480 in 2022

Out of the total 7,393 wanted proclaimed offenders, 1,290 are wanted in connection with serious offences, such as terrorism, murder, murder attempt, rape, kidnapping for ransom, and auto thefts, police officials said.

They added that 386 POs were wanted by the Saddar Zone police, followed by 302 by Soan Zone, 242 by Industrial Area Zone, 181 by City Zone and 179 by Rural Zone.

In addition to these, 6,103 proclaimed offenders are wanted by police in connection with other crimes, fatal and non-fatal accidents, burglaries, and thefts. Out of these, 1,926 are wanted by the Sadar Zone police, 1,824 by the City Zone, 1,211 by Soan, 821 by the Industrial Area Zone, and 321 by the Rural Zone.

The officers said after the identification of the suspects and accused, the investigators would collect their details, including CNICs and mobile numbers, which would help them trace their whereabouts.

According to the police, they also approached Nadra to block the identity cards of the proclaimed offenders, which would make it impossible for them to conduct financial transactions and similar matters.

“Unblocking of a CNIC is a difficult process and needs verification from the police, intelligence, and security agencies,” the officers said, adding the mobile numbers of the accused and their family members are also collected through the CNICs and the family tree to track and arrest them.

Most of the POs, however, do not care about blocking of their CNICs, the police officials said, adding that they keep changing their location and use social networking platforms to contact each other, as well as relatives, friends and accomplices.

Action was also taken against the POs under the Code of Criminal Procedure’s Section 88 to attach their properties.

All these legal procedures are used to force the POs to surrender before the police, they said, adding that but due to engagements in other duties and the lack of resources the number of POs was consistently increasing, they added.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024