The Rapid Response Force (RRF) comprising rangers and police has started jointly patrolling the federal capital however this is financially not sustainable for the district administration as the cost of boarding and lodging of rangers cannot be borne for long.
A better option would have been for the government to increase the strength and improve capacity of the city police, an informed source told Business Recorder. Official sources said that joint patrolling of rangers and police would bring down the upward trend in the crime rate but for the short-term only. The city would ultimately return to its previous security position after the new security plan comes to an end, the time frame for which is not yet determined, sources said.
Sources said that the city police have sent a proposal two years ago for recruitment of 2,500 police personnel to the Ministry of Interior and requested funds for the purchase of modern equipment to cope with the current situation. "If the government allows induction of 2,500 personnel and provides modern equipment, it would further increase the capacity of the city police to cope with the growing crime rate in the city," the source said.
Presently the city has a police force of 9,613 against the sanctioned strength of 10,730 to protect the population of 1.4 million. More than two-thirds are deployed to guard VIPs, their residences, offices and their movements. Only 2,855 police personnel are deployed for ordinary citizens, the sources said.
Joint patrolling of the RRF began on May 28 aimed to check crime and terrorism in the federal capital. Under the new security system 2,000 rangers are at the disposal of the Islamabad administration, among them 459 will take part in joint vehicular patrolling with 354 personnel of the Islamabad Police. Total 48 vehicles of rangers and Islamabad police will take part in patrolling.
According to the Ministry of Interior spokesman, under the new security system the city has been divided into 13 zones and rangers and police would patrol round the clock. The force is also empowered to conduct specific operations targeting terrorists as well as criminals.
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