There has been an alarming rise in crime statistics in Islamabad over the past year which has forced the Senate Standing Committee on Interior to take notice of the issue. During a meeting earlier this week, the Committee expressed serious concerns of robberies, dacoities and rape of women in the capital after police crime data showed that at least one case of rape was reported every day in the city during 2020.

For a while now, Islamabad has had the reputation of being one of the safest cities in the country. However, with robbery and theft incidents taking place in broad daylight every other day, the situation is certainly getting out of hand. In fact, just last week the house of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ms Nuzhat Sadiq was robbed in an upscale area of the city. Though this high-profile incident has gotten much attention, the numbers overall paint an even more worrisome picture. Just over the last year, over 10,000 incidents of crime have been reported in the Capital. Comparing the numbers over the years, it is evident that there has been a steady rise in the crime rate of the city.

The figures also reveal how the city is becoming more dangerous for women and children as there have been a high number of cases relating to child abuse, domestic violence, kidnapping of women, violence against women, and incidents of rape. In fact, in 2021, 47 cases of rape have been reported thus far in Islamabad alone.

The authorities must look into addressing this urgently as we cannot allow the security situation to deteriorate to the level of other big cities, especially considering the relatively miniscule population of Islamabad. There is a need for immediate action on part of LEA’s and less photo-ops and PR exercises. However, in addition to increasing the capacity of the police to cope with rising crime, we need to understand the socio-political drivers behind this trend as well because increased policing cannot be a comprehensive solution in and of itself.