ISLAMABAD: Criminals looted cash and valuables worth over Rs5 billion in 9,322 robbery, dacoity, snatching and other cases registered with the capital police from January 1 to October 31 this year.

Officials of the police told Dawn on condition of anonymity that during the period the police registered a total of 20,321 cases and 9,322 (45.87 per cent) of them were about 60 dacoities, 2,066 robberies, 1,005, snatching, 793 burglaries, 1,887 thefts and 3,511 automobile thefts. The other cases were registered over different criminal activities such as murder, attempted murder, encounters, kidnapping, rape, hurt, fatal and non-fatal road accidents, recoveries and cheque dishonour etc.

All the police stations except Margalla issued 53,155 e-tags against complaints lodged with them. However, they only registered 19,642 cases (Margalla 679 cases not included in it), and as a result, the ratio of case registration remained 36.96pc only.

The Margalla police registered 679 cases but e-tags were issued against only 434 FIRs. The said police station stopped issuing e-tag numbers to complainants on June 29 due to “renovation work”. The last e-tag issued by the Margalla police was against complaint number 1,681 over which an FIR was registered.

Islamabad police issued 53,155 e-tags against complaints; however, they registered only 19,642 cases, police officers say

Out of the total 9,322, there were 5,811 cases of dacoities, robberies, snatching, burglaries and theft in which the culprits looted or stole cash and valuables worth Rs2.90 billion.

During this period, gold ornaments weighing 4,084.59 tola were also looted or stolen. The price of one tola (11.6gm) of gold is Rs280,900.

At least 4,745 mobile phones were also looted or stolen during the period.

Likewise, 439 vehicles (four-wheelers) and 3,722 motorcycles were also either looted or stolen. As per a conservative assessment, the worth of these vehicles was Rs878 million.

The capital police registered 60 cases of dacoity in which a man was murdered and 10 others were injured while the culprits looted cash and valuables worth Rs59.4 million along with 119.5 tola gold, six motorcycles and 102 mobiles.

The police registered 2,066 cases of robberies in which 12 people were murdered and 204 others injured while culprits looted cash and valuables worth Rs387.87 million along with 483.8 tola gold, 16 vehicles, 500 motorcycles and 2,291 mobile phones.

The police also registered 1,005 cases of snatching in which 38 persons were also injured while culprits looted cash and valuables worth Rs273.68 million along with 151.5 tola gold, 19 vehicles,35 motorcycles and 897 mobiles.

The police registered 793 cases of burglaries in which thieves took away cash and valuables worth Rs450 million along with 1498.2 tola gold, a vehicle, 24 motorcycles and 535 mobile phones.

Moreover, 1,887 cases of theft were also registered in which six persons were injured while the culprits looted cash and valuables worth Rs1.73 billion and also took away 1831.59 tola gold, eight vehicles, 35 motorcycles and 920 mobile phones.

As many as 395 cases of vehicle theft and 3,116 cases of motorcycle theft were also registered during the period.

The City Zone police, except the Margalla police station, Saddar Zone, Industrial Area Zone, Soan Zone and Rural Zone police issued 12,217, 12,378, 1,0194, 9,960 and 8,406 e-tags, respectively, in response to complaints about different nature of crime. However, the City Zone police, except Margalla police station, Sadar Zone, Industrial Area Zone, Soan Zone and Rural Zone police registered only 3,853 (31.53pc), 4,965 (40.11pc), 3,185 (31.24pc), 4,793 (48.12pc) and 2,846 (33.85pc) cases.

A statement said Islamabad police arrested a total of 18,105 accused involved in different criminal activities and recovered cash and valuables worth over Rs1603.6 million from their possession. Moreover, 1,401 members of 594 gangs involved in robbery activities were also arrested.

Additionally, 3708 accused involved in tampering activities and property crimes such as theft, robbery, burglary, vehicles and motorcycle theft were also arrested. Police teams also recovered cash, vehicles and motorcycles from their possession.

The police also carried out extensive operations against those possessing illegal weapons and arrested 1,803 people and recovered 111 rifles, 33 carbines, 1,471 pistols and 219 daggers from their possession.

“Islamabad Police also conducted indiscriminate operations against proclaimed offenders, court fugitives and target offenders and arrested 5,454 accused.”

DIG Islamabad Syed Ali Raza said the police were utilising all available resources to ensure eradication of drug dealers and criminal elements from the federal capital.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2024