New police admin needs to ensure 100 percent registration of crime

PESHAWAR: The new administration of the capital city police needs to ensure the registration of each and every crime and depoliticise the force if it is committed to improving the law and order situation instead of performing routine duties.

In addition, it will have to protect the force and its establishment from everyday attacks, dismantle networks of ice and other drugs, and target groups and individuals harassing the public by brandishing guns in escort vehicles.

The capital city police got its new chief Qasim Ali Khan on Monday. He was posted to lead the capital city police after he performed well as a regional police officer in Bannu.

He has previously served against many key positions including district police officer and director of the Safe City Project.

Also, the senior superintendent of police operations Kashif Zulfiqar was posted as the deputy city police chief a few weeks ago. He has also served as DPO in Haripur, Bajaur and remained SP Cantt in Peshawar.

Policing in Peshawar is different from other regions and districts as one is to deal with so many issues simultaneously.

There are a number of VIPs, including politicians, who are more interested in posting and transfer of cops as well as interference in many other affairs of the force.

The new administration is to address their genuine issues but not let anyone interfere in the affairs of the force or use it for their interests. Postings should be purely on merit and the right man for the right job should be posted to lead the force in any division, subdivision, police station, post or any wing.

The force is also to discourage many of those groups and individuals who are openly brandishing weapons for the last many months and are escorted by many vehicles in a bid to show power in pretext of security issues. Some of those involved in blood feuds for many years also carry weapons in public.

Such elements spread terror in the society which they use for land grabbing and other benefits. They also have support of one or the other political groups.

The top most issue of the new administration is to genuinely address is the innumerable incidents of robberies, snatching, lifting of cars and bikes and thefts happening in almost all parts of the provincial capital. Only a few percent of these incidents are reported to the bosses while the majority goes unreported and the victims never get justice.

The CCPO and SSP operations need to ensure encouraging every victim to approach police in case of any crime. They must direct the police station staff to register each and every case as they are recruited for this sole purpose to register the crime and go after the culprits involved instead of dodging the victims or using the uniform only to mint money.

For the last several years, a huge majority of the cases are not being registered only to show better statistics to the bosses, government and media while the ground reality remains different.

Peshawar has witnessed an alarming increase in all kinds of street crimes for the last couple of years but the statistics present a rosy picture. The situation is alarming and even the many checkpoints have failed to improve the situation and only bother commoners.

One of the reasons for the increase in the crime rate is that FIR in most of the cases are not being registered, further encouraging the culprits. Even if a victim approaches the bosses, the complaint is registered only in a daily diary or “roznamcha”.

This has discouraged the public to the extent that the majority of the victims don’t approach the cops anymore if their phone, cash and valuables are snatched or something is stolen from their homes, shops or offices.

Many of the senior and junior cops don’t consider theft worth a few thousand rupees anymore a crime and even criticise the media if it is reported. Their responsibility, however, is to register and take action on any crime in any part of the city or province.

Apart from inflation, poor policing at the police station level and absence of any intelligence mechanism, the alarming increase in ice addiction are some of the major factors behind unprecedented increase in crime in Peshawar and other major cities of the province and the country.

A large number of ice addicts are involved in street crimes and other incidents of violence when they consume the drug. Several of these addicts are among over 120 people wounded and seven killed in encounters with police in Peshawar in the last eight months.

The KP Police and the cops in Peshawar will have to do their best to break the network of ice and other drugs if they are committed to bring down the number of crime and drug addiction by cutting down the supply route.

Besides, posting SPs, DSPs and SHOs on merit, action against the corrupt and incompetent cops and going after the mafias within the force will also improve the situation.

Many of the police stations and posts, especially the remote ones need to be strengthened and provided with more facilities including thermal imaging devices, CCTV cameras, bullet proof jackets and helmets, better working environment, proper concrete buildings, fuel, vehicles including armoured personnel carriers at sensitive places to protect the city from outside attacks.

Millions of rupees are spent every year mostly on renovation of offices of senior officers and other unnecessary projects but many police check-posts and stations are still without proper buildings, electricity or solar system, thermal scopes and required manpower to counter major attacks, especially in remote areas and troubled districts.