RAWALPINDI - The car-theft incidents are constantly on the rise in the city while there is a general impression that the alleged "friendly policy" of Acting Regional Police Officer (RPO)/City Police Officer (CPO) Akhter Umar Lalayka with the cops harbouring car-lifters is the main reason behind growing crimes.
Taking advantage of this attitude of the RPO/CPO, on one hand the police officers have been openly violating the departmental orders of police bosses while the criminals are on looting spree in the city on the other hand. The trend of not filing cases of heinous crimes such as street crimes and car lifting in all police stations has also been seen with no action on part of top police bosses.
The loose grip of the CPO on administrative affairs is evident from the fact that an assistant sub inspector (ASI) of Police Station Sadiqabad, Mukhtar, who was transferred to Murree on Tuesday and issued a show notice by the CPO on account of not providing justice to a car-lifting victim, refused to report to PS Murree. Some honest police officers wonder over the CPO's move of transferring the ASI instead of dismissing him from the job.
According to sources, Suzuki Mehran car (RIA-9602) of Malik Sibt-ul-Hassan was stolen from 6th Road on January 5 but ASI Mukhtar refused to file a case despite several attempts of the victim. However, later the case was filed.
Meanwhile, PS Toro Mardan SHO, on receiving call from Rescue 15, intercepted one Ameer Hamza son of Zahid, resident of Gujar Khan, driving a stolen car with fake number plate (LYZ-8341) towards Peshawar. Mardan police contacted PS Sadiqabad who conveyed message to Sibt that his car was recovered, sources said.
Sibt again requested ASI Mukhtar to help in getting back his car from Mardan but ASI refused to do so and suggested Sibt to go to Mardan and get his car after paying bribe to police, sources added.
On this, the complainant went to CPO Office Complaint Cell which tabled the matter before the CPO in a crime meeting held on Tuesday last. The CPO censured the ASI and transferred him to Murree, besides issuing him show notice. Moreover, SP Rawal Division was ordered to probe the matter, sources said.
Despite the CPO's orders, the ASI did not report to Murree so far, sources said.
ASI Mukhtar, when contacted by this scribe to confirm whether he left his charge and went Murree or not, burst into smile and said "Which Murree? I will not go Murree. You will see."
A Moharer of PS Toro Mardan told The Nation that Rawalpindi police have still not approached the stolen car while the car lifter was behind the bars and would be presented before a court of law today (Thursday) for obtaining physical remand. Some senior police officers, who enjoy very good repute in police department, expressed deep concern over the cold shoulder attitude of the CPO at a time when incidents of car lifting are on rise in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The CPO was not available for his comments despite repeated attempts.