Pakistan: Lahore is experiencing a significant increase in street crime while Pakistanis are facing financial difficulties due to inflation. Official records indicate that more than 90% of the crimes committed in the first three and a half months of the year were robberies at gunpoint.
The data on crime demonstrates that the robbers are unafraid and are using illegal weapons to steal cash and valuables from citizens. These criminals are so audacious and bold in police intervention that they also steal bicycles.
During the first three-and-a-half months of this year, 5,366 motorcycles and 143 bicycles were reported stolen in various parts of Lahore, as stated by the data.
As per the reports of media houses, Lahore is divided into six police divisions, 35 circles, and 84 police stations. Each division is supervised by a superintendent of police (SP), while sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs) head the circles.
Although many police officers were appointed to maintain law and order, criminals continue to commit crimes fearlessly, robbing and stealing from citizens. Official records reveal that 89 individuals were allegedly murdered in Lahore during the first quarter of 2023, with City and Saddar divisions reporting the most incidents (20 each).
Additionally, it was reported that Islamabad’s Interior Minister Abdul Rehman Kanju acknowledged the increase in the street crime rate in the provincial capital.
One Pakistani newspaper, Kanju, stated that the rise in street crime cases is due to the increase in population. However, he asserted that the government is taking effective measures to ensure citizens’ safety. The Kanju made these remarks while responding to a calling attention notice from PTI Member of National Assembly (MNA) Asiya Azeem about the rise in crimes against women in Islamabad.
To control crime, the Pakistani government has established the Eagle Squad to patrol the streets on motorcycles, according to the Interior Minister. Since the squad’s formation, Kanju claimed that there had been a significant reduction in the crime rate.
Furthermore, he stated that not a single case of house robbery had been reported in the capital since the beginning of the year, as reported by the media.
Regarding crimes against women, Kanju claimed that the government had instructed the police to register every First Information Report (FIR).
