Faisalabad street crimes have spiraled out of control, leaving citizens tossing and turning at night. These crimes have run rampant for the past couple of weeks.
Two shocking incidents took place on October 30th, where robbers cold-bloodedly murdered two people in robbery attempts.
Police Inefficiency Fuels Crime Wave
Dr. Rehman, a state-run university teacher, said street crimes are surging in urban communities due to the unbridled inflation, and police inefficiency is adding insult to injury, which is tantamount to helping criminals. He said our police department is still stuck in a rut and employing traditional methods to tackle crime despite the fact that artificial intelligence and information technology is rapidly transforming everything.
A Threat to Public Safety and Economic Stability
He said offenses like mugging, snatching, theft, and vandalism have registered a sharp rise in Lahore, Faisalabad and other cities, posing a serious challenge to the Punjab government to take the bull by the horns. Such crimes are undermining community trust, economic stability and endangering personal safety.
Public Anxiety on the Rise
It’s a matter of grave concern that two people were gunned down by robbers in Faisalabad in a day.
Public anxiety increases with street crimes as both have direct correlation. Moving on the roads, particularly at night has become a nightmare for the people in Punjab as people are increasingly fearful of venturing out.
Gangs and Police Complicity
Talking about specific factors driving the surge in street crimes, he said the proliferation of gangs plays a critical role as such groups prefer to recruit unemployed young people lacking opportunities to earn a decent living for their families. He said such gangs are perpetuating the cycle of crime and some of the police officials are well aware of the modus operandi of these criminals.
A Failed Policing Strategy
We have observed that gun-toting policemen are ‘trying their best’ for decades to make the cities ‘safe’ but this practice is not working.
Amid surging crimes, the traders and businessmen have to suffer the consequences as customers avoid areas perceived as unsafe. Hitting the economic activities of any area will lead to economic downturn and a decrease in trust.
The decline of business activities leads to higher unemployment rates, further fueling crime. It is the duty of the senior police officers to keep an eye on the performance of their subordinates and the crime pockets in their respective areas.
Community Policing as a Solution
Talking about the strategies to combat the surging street crimes, he said the police department needs community engagement to foster trust between law enforcement and citizens of Punjab. He said the trust deficit between public and police is widening which is aggravating the situation, creating issues for both sides.
He said the Punjab police needs a program that encourages citizens to report crimes without fear of retribution. It’s crucial otherwise no one will be ready to help the police bridle the surging trend of crime, he said.
Globally, community policing efforts are yielding positive results as strong relationships between policemen, whether constable or officers, are crucial for restoring the tarnish image of the police department.
Faisalabad Street Crimes Surge
First incident of robbery took place in the remit of the Sargodha Road police. Robbers gunned down a man identified as Rasheed Ahmed and injured another while robbing a food point near Haq Bahu Chowk, Gulistan Colony. The video shows that three robbers arrived on the scene on a motorcycle and started looting the place. One of the shop employees resisted their attempts. The robbers were wearing masks to conceal their identities.
When the robbers were fleeing the scene with the loot, a guy coming from an adjacent road gave them a shove, causing them to lose control and fall on the ground. Sensing an opportunity, employees of this eatery tried to catch the robbers when a robber opened fire, injuring a man named Asghar.
Despite facing resistance, the robbers managed to escape from the spot, and the police are still clueless.
Second incident took place in the vicinity of the Millat Road police.
Robbers gunned down a motorcycle mechanic, Usman, near Sugar Morr, when he was on his way home.
Police Inefficiency and Public Outrage
Khadim Hussain, a broadcast journalist from Faisalabad, said the policemen are not pulling their weight in protecting the lives and properties of the people. Instead of lending a helping hand to victims, he claimed the policemen prefer to pass the buck between different offices, which is tarnishing the image of the police department.
As the third-largest city of Pakistan, he emphasized a special crime-preventive strategy is crucial for Faisalabad, however, it’s ironic that only lip service is being paid to how lives and properties of the masses will be protected, as the practical situation is a different story.
Full or Half-Fry Strategy
He noted that in recent days, Faisalabad has experienced a sharp spike in street crimes, sparking serious concern among residents and exposing the inefficiency of the police officials. He said whenever police accelerate their efforts for zero-tolerance against criminals and go on the offensive– full or half-fry strategy–the criminals do the same with citizens.
He said traders are preferring to wind down business hours due to safety concerns, and this situation will take a toll on their economic interests.
Police Officer’s Perspective
A police officer requesting anonymity dispelled the notion that police officials are twiddling their thumbs to protect the public.
He explained that policing in a district like Faisalabad, with its massive population of approximately 10 million, is a Herculean task. He noted that the limited number of police officers makes it difficult for the department to effectively get their act together and implement strategies to combat crimes.
He highlighted a number of cases where criminals and gangs have apprehended, stressing that police are working around the clock to maintain peace in the district.