Report puts question mark on police role

DERA GHAZI KHAN-Police remained failed to control the crime as official statistics showed a sharp increase in the crime rate during the last year in Dera Ghazi Khan district.

The number of criminal cases jumped from 6,332 to 7107, an average of about 20 cases per day or one case each hour.

The district police could not arrest 3,426 accused wanted in various cases nor could it arrest anyone dacoit in 2017, revealed official performance report 2017.

The police claimed to have sized 3.937kg heroin during the period. Similarly, 15.566kg charas, 332 bottles of liquor, 1,112 liters lahan and 325.122 kg Bhang were seized while 101 drunk men were arrested.

In 2017, the trend of using unlicensed arms increased in the district, which jumped from 642 to 703 cases registration while Police have claimed to recover9294 unlicensed weapon that is 5542 number less in quantity as compare to year 2016.

There are 18 police stations and four Police circles namely City, Saddar, Kotchutta and Taunss Sharif Police circle in district. SDPO KotChutta Circle Rana Jan Muhammad is only circle in-charge officer in district who has announced performance report of his under commander circle yet now. While other three circle in-charge officers are hesitating to announce performance report due to poor performance of their personals of last year.

Gaddai Police Station, the biggest one in the district, has become safe haven for criminals due to poor policing. In 2017, 869 criminal cases including 148 cases against persons, 164 cases against property, and 306 cases of local and special law were registered in Gaddai Police Station. Challan in 223 cases have not been submitted in courts.

In 2017, 1,939 people submitted complaints regarding their grievances while 162 complaints are still pending.

Similarly, 134 cases are still under investigation due to negligence of investigation officers concerned.

On the condition of anonymity, a senior investigation officer of police admitted that the responsibility of the failure falls was on the shoulders of police. The negligence on the part of police should be addressed if crimes in the district are to be reduced, he said.

Source: The Nation