Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine (5199) proclaimed offenders, in four thousand and ninety-nine (4099) cases, are on the schedule of ICT Police. These people were nominated in several cases, but they could not chased so far by the federal police.

While answering to a question asked by Senator Chaudhry Tanveer Ali Khan of treasury benches, the Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the Upper House that total 5199 proclaimed offenders exist in Islamabad Capital Territory.

Minister provided a detailed information about the proclaimed offenders, which shows that four zones of Islamabad including City Zone, Saddar Zone, Sector-I Area Zone and Rural Zone has 1485, 2098, 714 and 902 proclaimed offenders respectively on the schedule. The list included shocking number of proclaimed offenders in heinous crimes like murder, terrorism and kidnapping.

It is matter of concern that 540 people involved in murder cases, 129 in murder cum terrorist act and 217 in Zina and kidnapping cases has been declared proclaimed offender.

A large number of dacoits, robbers and thieves have also been pronounced as proclaimed offender after the failure of police to arrest them. 143 people involved in cases of dacoity, 272 in robbery, 108 in day and night burglary and 90 in car and motor cycle theft are proclaimed offenders.

In recent days the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sajid Kiani had directed all police officer to launch continuous widespread crackdown for arrest of proclaimed offender from the capital city. In result, around 200 people were arrested by the police in recent days.

Sources inside the police department were of the view that the police has been failed to put the major proclaimed offenders behind the bars and only trying to complete number count by arresting those who were involved in minor crimes.

An official of Islamabad Police on the condition of anonymity has said that there are only few proclaimed offender, who freely move in capital under several reasons and patronage by politicians and powerful segments of the society, whereas, a large number of proclaimed offenders are in fact out of police grip.

Former President Rawalpindi Bar Association Malik Jawad Khalid has said; “primarily, it is the responsibility of police to arrest the offenders, but when they failed to take criminals into custody then the courts issue notices and public advertisements in newspapers under section 87 of Criminal Procedural Code (CrPC) and if the accused not appear before the court even after the advertisement then the courts release order under section 88 of CrPC to pledge his or her property and declare them as proclaimed offenders.”

Jawad also highlighted that in many cases people were even unaware that they are being declared proclaimed offender, but it usually happens in minor cases or bail-able offences.

Although, the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan repeatedly claimed that the government is implementing National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and spirit, but he fails to ensure the complete arrest of proclaimed offenders so far as it was also a part of NAP.