ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police have registered 6,551 criminal cases against 15,639 complaints received during the ongoing year.

The Dolphin Squad or patrolling teams are the first responders whenever a crime is reported to the police helpline. After verification, the area police are alerted. They gather details and ask the victim to file a complaint. Each complaint is then issued an e-tag to maintain a database and track the actual number of criminal incidents. However, officials have revealed a disparity in e-tag numbers and case registration.

From January 1 to April 5, the City Zone police received at least 4,232 complaints, followed by Saddar Zone with 4,001 complaints. The Industrial Area Zone, Soan Zone, and Rural Zone, respectively, received 2,726, 2,301, and 2,379 complaints.

The City Zone registered 1,349 FIRs, Saddar Zone 1,737, and Industrial Zone registered 933 cases. Soan and Rural zones registered 1,484 and 1,048 cases, respectively.

Officials register 6,551 cases against 15,639 complaints in 2025

Officials told Dawn the actual number of crimes and complaints lodged with the police was much higher, as the police did not issue e-tags against every complaint. They said the Khanna police registered FIR No. 3 against and e-tag No. 3, but FIR No. 30 was registered against e-tag No. 28.

Similarly, FIR No. 99 was registered against e-tag No. 88, while FIR No. 121 was registered against e-tag No. 132. FIR No. 155 had the e-tag number 175, whereas FIR No. 187 was registered against e-tag No. 222 in January. Likewise, FIR No. 218 was registered against e-tag No. 248, FIR No. 258 was registered against e-tag No. 287, besides FIR No. 317 against e-tag No. 331. They said the FIR numbers 235, 236 and 237 registered by the Koral police did not have e-tag.

The officials claimed the refusal to issue e-tags against all complaints was an attempt downplay the crime rate in the city.

Another practice that has emerged in the Islamabad police is that the officials are trying to downgrading the severity of the crime. For instance, dacoity is the most heinous crime but the police are portraying such cases as robberies in the FIR.

On March 31, a gang of more than four gunmen raided a poultry farm and looted broilers worth Rs3.1million. However, the Nilore police registered the case under Section 392 (robbery) instead of Section 395 (dacoity) even though the number of suspects involved exceeded five.

On March 21, five-six gunmen looted livestock worth Rs1million in the jurisdiction of the Khanna police station, but the police included the robbery section of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIR.

On March 6, criminals impersonating police officials snatched cash from a citizen in Koral, but the police registered a fraud case in this regard.

Likewise, three suspects impersonating policemen snatched cash from a citizen in the Sabzi Mandi police area on March 12, but instead of registering the case under sections 382 or 356 of the PPC, the case was registered under sections 420, 170, and 171 on March 24. In many burglary FIRs, the police used theft charges instead.

According to senior police officials, crime is on the rise in Islamabad, but the non-registration of cases and downgrading the severity of the crime is “a novel way” to show a decrease in crime. They alleged that the senior officers were engaged in non-policing issues, and due to the engagement in other issues, crimes committed in the capital went unregistered.

Non-registration of FIR is an offence as per the law, the officers said, adding that as per Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the police are bound to register FIRs against each and every complaint. Criminals go unpunished if cases are not registered, they said.

IGP Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and Director General Safe City Shakir Dawar had been approached multiple times since April 9 for their comments, but they did not respond. Deputy Inspector General Operations Jawad Tariq responded to a query on Monday, saying: “Sure will let you know”. However, no response was received by the time this report went to press.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2025