THIS is with reference to the letter ‘Criminologists needed’ (Nov 16). It is an established fact that countries are gover-ned through policies designed by think tanks and professionals. It is the basic duty of the government to provide a safe and secure environment to every citizen. It is disheartening that the conviction rate in Punjab was only 7.6 per cent during 2023, and there were 28.9pc untraced cases.

The professionals, after having analysed crime trends, devise strategies and create practical solutions to prevent and manage crime effectively. Unlike the successful models of developed countries, we still stick to the conventional methods.

Instead of relying upon the reports of the inspector-general of police, the chief minister of the province must raise a team of professionals to analyse the crime trends in different regions of the province, and seek reports and recommendations to have a grip on the whole scenario.

If the services of such professionals are hired as consultants under the oversight of the chief minister, it will reduce the crime rate, and will improve the conviction percentage.

Moreover, as a practitioner, I would suggest that station house officers (SHOs) as well as investigation officers should not be posted in their domicile districts to create an impartial environment amongst the masses; this will also help reduce the crime rate.

Akhtar Lalayka
Ex-DIG of Police
Lahore

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024