ISLAMABAD: Punjab is rapidly becoming hub of criminals as more than 1.7 million criminal incidents, including 7907 rapes and 9376 murder cases were reported with the police during the last two years.
There has been a sharp increase in overall number of crimes in the province where 961,737 cases were reported in the year 2019 compared to 781,695 a year earlier.
Lahore worst hit:
Official data of crimes for the year 2018 and 2019, a copy of which available with The News Today, show that metropolis Lahore has been worst hit with 384,036 reported crimes of different nature.
In the provincial capital, a total of 155,207 crimes were reported in 2018 while there was an unprecedented increase with 228,829 cases in 2019.
Overall crime rate inceased in all the nine divisions, expect two-the native areas of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
There has been a rapid increase in overall crime rate in all the nine divisions of the province, expect two-the native areas of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Data for Lahore does not include adjoining districts Shikhupura, Nankana and Kasur that are part of Lahore division. Police registered a total of 114,637 crime cases in these three districts separately- 54,279 in 2018 and 60,358 in 2019.
Incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has changed five Inspector Generals of Police and a number of chief secretaries in the province. These un-ceremonial changes have adversely impacted the law and order in the province.
In Gujranwala Division that includes in Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot and Narowal a total of 216,030 crimes were reported during the last two years. Of these 101,633 were reported in 2018 and 114,397 in 2019
In last two years total of 118,152 crimes were reported in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal districts. The police registered 42,367 crimes in 2018 and which rose to 75,785 the next year.
In Sargodha division that includes Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakhar and Mianwali the native town of Prime Minister Imran Khan, 98,629 incidents of different crimes were reported during the period. Police registered 50,065 crime cases in 2018 in these districts. In 2019 the number of cases registered by police was 48, 564.
In Faisalabad division comprising Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Teikh Singh, Chiniot districts a total of 195,343 of different nature were registered with the police; 96,263 of them in 2018 and 99,080 in 2019.
In Multan division comprising Multan, Lodhran, Khaniwal and Vehari a total of 182,368 cases were registered- 80,827 in 2018 and 101,541 in 2019
In Dera Ghazi Khan division, the native area of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar a total of 109,996 cases were registered in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajhanpur, Muzaffargharh, Layyah districts. The numbers of criminal cases registered in the area were 56,634 in 2018, these decreased to 53,362 in 2019.
In Bhawalnagar division also saw and rapid increase in number of crimes. The division that includes in Bhawalpur, Bhawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts where a total of 113,129 were reported during the last two years- 48,693 in 2018 and 67, 453 in 2009
Sahiwal division also had increase in the crime rate. Of the total 93,458 cases in Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Okara districts, 41448 were reported in in 2018 and 52,010 in 2019.
Punjab government during FY 2018-19 allocated Rs. 111.718 billion rupees to ensure the rule of law in the province
The Punjab is the biggest and most populated province of Pakistan having largest Police Force comprising more than 198,960 personnel including 9 Regional Police Officers (RPOs), 4 City Police Officers (CPOs), one Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) and 36 District Police Officers (DPOs).
The other field formations working under the Central Police Office (CPO) Punjab include: Investigation Unit, Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP), Traffic Police, Elite Police Force, Special Branch, Special Protection Unit (SPU), Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Punjab Dolphin Force, Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA), Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) and Punjab Constabulary.
In Pakistan, police department particularly Punjab Police is never been seen as people friendly, therefore the victims of even heinous crimes usually avoid and refuse to reach out to the police. The number of actual crimes remains much higher than the incidents reported with the police.
Punjab government during FY 2018-19 allocated the hefty budget of Rs. 111.718 billion rupees to ensure the rule of law in the province. Funds amounting to Rs.942.336 million were allocated for computerization of Police Stations and creation of Front Desks across Punjab.
Furthermore, fund amounting to Rs.2.147 billion rupees (Dolphin Rs1.580 billion & PRU Rs567.453 million) was sanctioned by Finance Department for creation of Dolphin & PRU and provided to Lahore Police.
Despite the hefty budget for Punjab police department, the crime ratio in the province not only remained shocking high but it kept on increasing.
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