Quetta Street Crime Drops 30%, Five-Member Gang Involved in Rs7 Million Robberies Arrested: DIG
QUETTA: Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Police Quetta Imran Shaukat has said that street crime in the provincial capital has declined by 30 per cent compared to last year, while police have arrested a five-member gang involved in robberies worth Rs7 million.
Addressing a press conference, DIG Imran Shaukat said investigations were underway into the killing of two people on Sariab Road and a bank robbery in Quetta. He said the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) was investigating the bank robbery, including the possibility of involvement by a banned organisation. He added that negligence on the part of the bank had also emerged during the investigation.
The DIG said there was no room for corrupt elements within the police department and that action had been taken against police officers and personnel following public complaints. He also clarified that police personnel were not allowed to use social media while utilising official resources.
According to Imran Shaukat, police have solved 87 per cent of murder cases registered in Quetta. He acknowledged the cooperation of citizens in crime prevention and said action was also being taken in reported harassment cases.
He revealed that 20 police encounters took place during operations against street crime this year, resulting in the deaths of 20 suspects and injuries to 27 others. He further said suspects had been killed in a total of 150 police encounters.
The DIG maintained that the government, public and security forces were working together against terrorism, while the CTD was also performing its responsibilities effectively.
He explained that street crime incidents in Quetta generally increase during September and October. Over the past two months, a gang had been involved in criminal activities across the city, with women also among its members.
The five-member gang, which included a police official, allegedly used a white vehicle to carry out robberies worth a total of Rs7 million. Police have arrested the group, he said.
DIG Shaukat also announced the arrest of Saadullah Noorzai, an accused in the murder of trader Hashim Noorzai.
In another case, police arrested the aunt of a child who was allegedly murdered and whose body was found stuffed in a sack on Sabzal Road.
The DIG said police operations and public cooperation were helping prevent crime and improve investigations, adding that further measures were being taken to strengthen law and order in Quetta.
