Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali khan ordered for arresting proclaimed offenders (POs) who have landed federal police in trouble amid the reports that paucity of funds has raised the question on the feasibility of implementation of these orders.

The federal capital police are not paid any fare to travel to remote areas and other provinces of the country to apprehend the culprits and the complainants also avoid to afford the expenses of traveling. Therefore, the compliance of orders by interior minister has become a source of perpetual mental agony for the police.

Police sources told Daily Times that only 22 vans have been provided to 22 police stations in the federal capital and these vehicles almost remain under use of SHOs. Bringing the crime rate to zero level in the federal capital has become a distant dream owing to lack of effective police patrolling. The investigation officers and other police personnel use their personal vehicles and they don’t bother to chase the criminals beyond their respective police station jurisdiction or in other districts.

Police sources said that no amount is allocated for the purchase of stationery in the budget and investigation officers and police personnel purchase the stationery items of daily use out of their own pocket. The criminals come from remote areas and flee to other districts after committing crimes in the capital city. This factor has led to increase rate of crimes manifold in the capital during the last several years. The Interior Ministry has expressed grave concern over such horrendous rise in crime rate. On the other hand, capital city police is unable to discharge its obligations in a befitting manner in pursuance of orders of federal interior minister for apprehending over 5,000 criminals because no facility has been provided to police for arresting proclaimed offenders while funds of millions of rupees are required to accomplish this task.

Sources said that the police officers deployed on investigation are under unprecedented mental stress as to how can they arrest the criminals in other provinces due to non-provision of funds. They have brought the state of affairs to the notice of their senior officers. On the other hand, their plea has fallen flat on the high ups of their department as the senior officers argue to them deliberately that “spend money out of your own pocket and arrest the proclaimed offenders”.

One police officer on the condition of anonymity told Daily Times that police has no other option left than resorting to bribery for police under these circumstances.

Sources told Daily Times that how can crime rate be contained in the federal capital of a country where a senior police officer hands over his passport to his subordinate officer ordering him to arrange for him ticket and a visa for performance of Umrah no matter the money comes from plundering or taking bribery.