Lahorites left at mercy of robbers

LAHORE
A group of Muhafiz Squad is allegedly extorting money from bike owners by removing their bikes from the parking area in Model Town Division.
The cops of Muhafiz Squad patrolling on bikes detect an easy target to remove a bike from the parking to some other designated place.
On finding no bike at the parking place, the owner of the bike informs the police at Rescue 15 and the same squad reaches the scene in response to the emergency call.
The squad members negotiate with the bike owner to get their palms greased promising to ‘recover’ the bike. The victim decides to bribe the squad according to his financial status and the squad returns the bike him.
Such incident happened in Garden Town police limits a week back. Mason Amanat was working at a house in Tariq Block when the Muhafiz Squad lifted his bike and parked it in a nearby plot out of sight. When Amanat noticed his bike was missing, he called at Rescue 15 in a state of panic. He then went to Garden Town Police Station to lodge his complaint. When the squad members learned of this, they followed him to the police station and took him back to the location in Tariq Block.
After negotiating, they convinced him to give them Rs 500 as ‘award’, after which they went back to the bike’s location and returned the bike to him.
Amanat told The News he had locked his bike securely and the manner in which it was stolen suggested the use of master keys. The victim was so scared that he could not lodge application against the bike lifting gang.
It would be relevant to mention here that Muhafiz Squad and Mujahid Squad police meant to patrol in crime-hit areas and respond to emergencies as a first responder were involved in a number of such activities in the provincial metropolis. Their bosses have no mechanism to keep a check on their activities. Sometime they were reported bothering families and sometimes they target youngsters and students. As the cops of Muhafiz Squad and Mujahid Squads don’t pin badges of their names on their uniforms, the victims can not identify them to lodge complaints against them.
Instead of focusing on the arrest of criminals, they prefer to choose local hotels and chase the guests who come out of the places. They intercept them at some deserted road and on recovering liquor from them negotiate with them for not initiating any legal action.
The data of crime against property reported during the last two weeks of February, shows that Sadr Division topped the other five divisions with 61 reported incidents. Out of the total incidents, 13 cars and 10 bikes were either lifted or snatched.
SP Sadr Division, Zahid Nawaz Marwat, said he had assumed charge on January 25 and during the one month’s period the rate has come down by 35 percent. About the calculation of Sadr Division on top in crime against property compared to other divisions, SP disagreeing with the crime figures available with The News said he was getting appreciation from every quarter on his tremendous performance against crimes. He said he could not comment on the crimes reported before his posting but since he took charge of the post, Sadr Div police have arrested over 190 proclaimed offenders, court absconders and other culprits. He said police have busted 25 gangs by arresting their members and recovered illegal weapons and booty from them.
Model Town Division was calculated on 2nd number in the same nature of crimes with 50 incidents. Out of the total reported crime against property, 14 bikes and 10 cars were either lifted or snatched.
Model Town SP Mustansar Feroz on the issue of the bike lifter gang said he had no such particular information. He added if any complaint was lodged against the bike lifting cops, he would take legal action. About the ratio of crime against property in his division, SP said he would be in better position to talk on crime data after conducting comparison of the registered crimes in his division.
City Division stood 3rd in heinous crimes with 45 reported incidents. Out of the total reported incidents, 14 bikes and three cars were stolen or snatched. The crime rate has come down in City Division during the last two weeks of the last month compared to the first two weeks of February. Iqbal Town Division secured 4th position in street crimes with 40 incidents. Out of the total reported crime, five cars and 10 bikes were lifted or snatched. Cantt Division was calculated on 5th number with 39 reported incidents out of which 6 cars and 9 bikes were lifted or snatched. Civil Lines Division stood on last number with 30 incidents out of which 12 bikes and a car were lifted or snatched. Though the Civil Lines Division was calculated at last number in reported crimes, it has topped other divisions in the incidents of depriving citizens of valuables, cash, gold ornaments and vehicles worth over Rs 15 million.
Meanwhile, Lahore police arrested 199 members of 83 criminal gangs during the month of February 2015.
Police also traced 407 cases registered against them besides recovering booty worth millions of rupees from their possession. Police also arrested 1,918 proclaimed offenders and court absconders during the same period, registered 464 cases and arrested 464 illicit arms carriers, registered 538 cases and arrested 541 drug pushers and registered 193 cases and arrested 744 gamblers. During the said period, 239 cases were registered against 244 culprits on various violations of law.