Dependency and plight of Islamabad Police

Islamabad : The capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad, presents a sobering example of administrative inefficiency, neglect, and under-resourced law enforcement. Despite being the nation’s seat of power, the Islamabad police struggle to manage crime, maintain law and order, and combat terrorism, largely due to their glaring dependence on borrowed forces from provinces like Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

This unusual dependency starkly contrasts with international norms, where federal capitals are typically fortified with well-staffed and well-equipped police forces capable of addressing their unique security needs. Islamabad’s situation highlights a crisis that undermines the city’s safety and national prestige.

For a city of Islamabad’s stature, a police force of at least 30,000 personnel is needed to ensure comprehensive security and effective law enforcement. Yet, the city operates with only 10,000 officers, of which a significant portion is dedicated to VIP protocols and security for government officials and diplomats, protection of foreign missions and high-profile installations.

This leaves a mere 2,000 to 2,500 officers to perform core policing duties such as crime prevention, anti-terrorism operations, and addressing everyday safety concerns for the city’s residents. Such an imbalance leaves vast areas of the city vulnerable, emboldening criminal activities and exposing glaring gaps in law enforcement.

The Islamabad police often find themselves outmatched, battling heavily armed criminals and dealing with unruly mobs using outdated equipment. This mismatch is glaring in situations requiring rapid mobilisation and technological support, such as surveillance or intelligence-driven operations.

Behind the veneer of Islamabad’s polished roads and pristine government offices lies the grim reality of its police force-overworked, underpaid, and severely underappreciated. The plight of Islamabad’s police highlights the neglect of law enforcement in Pakistan’s capital, with inadequate resources, outdated equipment, and deplorable working conditions taking a heavy toll on the morale and effectiveness of the force.

The allowances they receive are shockingly meagre, making it almost impossible for them to make ends meet in a city with one of the highest costs of living in the country.

The allowances for Islamabad police officers include, washing allowance: Rs150/month, Federal Police allowance: Rs125/month, ration allowance (including family): Rs1,038/month and medical allowance (including dependents): Rs1,500/month.

Such figures are not just inadequate but humiliating for individuals who put their lives on the line daily to maintain law and order.

When compared to the facilities and allowances provided to police officials in other countries or even other provinces within Pakistan, the disparity is staggering. While provincial police officers in areas like Punjab and Sindh receive Risk Allowance, Capital Allowance, and Big City Allowance, Islamabad police are excluded from these critical benefits. This unequal treatment further deepens the frustration among the force, fostering feelings of neglect and resentment.

The lack of proper financial rewards is just one aspect of the problem. Islamabad police are also forced to operate with outdated equipment and minimal training, putting them at a disadvantage against well-armed criminal gangs and organized syndicates. With rising inflation, stagnant wages, and overwhelming responsibilities, officers are left feeling undervalued and unsupported.

The inadequacies of Islamabad’s police are emblematic of the federal government’s neglect. Despite the city’s critical importance as the nation’s capital, funding and strategic planning for law enforcement have been insufficient. The disproportionate allocation of resources toward VIP protocols further compromises the safety of ordinary citizens.

The current state of the Islamabad police requires urgent intervention, including increasing the force’s strength to at least 30,000 personnel to match the city’s growing security needs, enhancing financial incentives, including introducing risk, capital, and big-city allowances to boost morale, equipping the police with modern tools such as advanced surveillance systems, vehicles, and weaponry and reducing the focus on VIP and protocol duties, reallocating resources toward public safety and crime prevention. The ongoing neglect of Islamabad’s police administration exposes the city to escalating threats from criminal gangs and terrorist elements. The federal government’s reluctance to invest in its police force is not just a matter of inefficiency but a direct threat to the city’s residents and national security.

The security of Islamabad cannot remain dependent on borrowed forces. A capital city that represents the heart of Pakistan deserves a modern, well-equipped, and adequately staffed police force.

But the question remains unanswered, when will the federal government recognise the urgency of investing in the capital’s safety and its police force? Until then, the Islamabad police will remain an overworked and underappreciated force, struggling to safeguard a city that should be its pride.