For residents following Islamabad crime, the latest official tally points to a large police crackdown across the capital this year. An ICT Police official said on Monday that the force arrested 20,883 suspects and recovered stolen property valued at over Rs1.62 billion during the first 10 months of this year. The figures cover the Islamabad Capital Territory, the federal area that ICT Police is responsible for.
The official said operations targeted criminal gangs, proclaimed offenders, drug dealers and people who carried or displayed weapons illegally across the city. Police busted 509 gangs in the period and arrested 1,197 of their members. Officers also recovered 194 vehicles, 668 motorcycles, gold ornaments and valuable mobile phones, which the official said were worth millions of rupees.
Gangs, vehicles and wanted offenders
The gangs were linked to street crime, home burglary and the theft of cars and motorcycles, the official said. Separately, more than 5,000 proclaimed offenders were arrested during the 10 months as part of a drive against wanted criminals and repeat offenders. Repeat offenders were among those targeted, according to the official.
Weapons and drug seizures
Weapons cases formed a large part of the figures. Police arrested 2,112 suspects over illegal weapons possession and display, and recovered 189 Kalashnikovs and rifles, 32 shotguns and carbines, 1,757 pistols of various calibres, 174 daggers and a large amount of ammunition.
In operations against drug dealers, 1,527 suspects were arrested. Police recovered more than 232 kilograms of hashish, over 138 kilograms of heroin, 194 kilograms of ice (crystal methamphetamine) and 14,962 bottles of liquor. Police also arrested 126 suspects over 105 cases of aerial firing, meaning weapons fired into the air. In addition, police carried out 1,915 grand combing operations, which are large area sweeps, and search operations in different parts of the capital.
What the police say comes next
The official said targeted operations, intelligence-based actions and effective patrolling were continuing to curb crime across the capital. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Islamabad Ali Waseem said that protecting citizens' lives and property was the top priority of ICT Police.
The figures are police totals for a 10-month period and come without a comparison to earlier years. On their own, they show the scale of police activity rather than whether crime in the capital has risen or fallen.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Islamabad police ne 10 mahinon mein 20,883 suspects giraftar kiye aur Rs1.62 billion se zyada ka chori shuda saman baramad kiya. Gangs, gaariyon, motorcycles aur mobile phones ke khilaf karwai hui, aur hathiyar aur nasha bhi pakra gaya. Police ka kehna hai ke targeted operations aur patrolling jari rahengi. Aam shehri ke liye matlab yeh hai ke police kaam kar rahi hai, lekin in figures se yeh pata nahi chalta ke jurm kam hua ya nahi.
