ISLAMABAD, 31 Dec , 2020 : Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar khan on Thursday handed over keys of 42 recovered vehicles and 57 bikes to their actual owners and renewed commitment to curb crime during 2021 through effective policing measures.

A ceremony was held at Police Line Headquarters held to hand over the keys among the actual owners who thanked Islamabad police chief and expressed their confidence on policing measures being taken to secure them.

The IGP said that heinous crime declined upto 20 percent in the federal capital during 2020 as compared to the previous year and efforts are underway to ensure further protection to the lives and properties of citizens through effective policing measures.

The ceremony was also attended by the police officials who succeeded to recover the stolen vehicles and bikes. SP (Industrial Area) Zubair Ahmed Sheikh constituted special teams to curb bike lifting incidents in the area which showed extraordinary performance and recovered 51 bikes stolen from jurisdiction of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.  Likewise, teams of Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) handed over the keys of 28 recovered vehicles to their actual owners, City Zone handed over five vehicles, Saddar Zone handed over five vehicles and six bikes and Rural Zones gave keys of five vehicles to their actual owners.

According to the report of Operation Division of Islamabad police, a total of 1555 persons were held for their involvement in crime cases of heinous nature including dacoity, snatching, theft and vehicles as well as bikes lifting.

Speaking on the occasion, the IGP said that Islamabad police is making its best possible efforts to curb crime in the city and heinous crime reduced upto 20 percent in 2020 as compared to 2019. He said that 70 percent decline was witnessed in dacoity incidents during 2020 as total of 37 such incidents were reported at various police stations in 2019 while only 11 cases were reported in 2020.

Robbery incidents declined upto 26 percent as 363 robbery incidents were reported in 2019 as compared to 269 in 2020 while burglary and theft cases witnessed decline of 28 percent as 699 cases were reported in 2019 as compared to 515 such cases in 2020.

A decline of 12 percent was witnessed in vehicle theft cases as a total of 734 cases were reported in 2020 as compared to 834 in 2019.

During the year 2020, Islamabad police nabbed 1555 accused for their involvement in heinous nature of crimes including dacoity, robber, snatching, theft and bike as well as vehicle theft incidents. Police also recovered stolen valuables or items worth Rs 1,413 million and 469 vehicles as well as 296 bikes from them.

The IGP Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar said that Islamabad Police also succeeded to bust 353 gangs and nabbed 905 gangsters involved crimes of heinous nature.  Islamabad police chief said that steps are being taken to ensure effective policing in the city and joint teams of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Operation Division would conduct snap checking.

He said that patrolling would be improved in the city and all Zona officials have been directed to check duties of policemen in their respective areas. No laxity would be tolerated and disciplinary action would be taken against those police officials involved in sluggish policing.