The capital police have traced the assassins of the former federal minister Shahbaz Bhati who were recently in Dubai, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bani Yamin on Friday.
“Interpole had issued red warrants for the arrest of killers of Shahbaz Bhati and we are pursuing for their arrests as we have information regarding their presence in Dubai,” the IGP said during an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today. He said that the killers of the former ministers might belong to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. On March 2 former federal minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti was shot dead by unidentified men in sector I-8 near his mother’s house in the limits of Industrial Area Police Station. The IGP said that the capital police so far made no headway to recover kidnapped inspector Rana Pervez. However, efforts were underway for the release of police officers, he said. Inspector Rana Pervez of Turnol Police Station was kidnapped on December 2, 2010 and his abductors belong to Waziristan. “We are holding meetings with the elders and other influential people of the area for his safe recovery at the earliest,” he said.
Bani Yamin said that the Ghazi Force, which was raised after Lal Masjid operation still existed in the capital but now it was not working collectively. He said that they were closely monitoring the movements of members of Ghazi Force in order to take timely action against them if they tried to create a mess. The Ghazi Force is named after Ghazi Abdul Rasheed, the brother of former chief of Lal Mosque Maulana Abdullah Aziz. Ghazi was killed during the Lal Mosque operation in July 2007. The IGP said that the capital police had arrested 18 terrorists in the current year as well as made comprehensive plan to avert further terrorist attacks. When asked if there were any fresh threats of terrorists attacks, he said no but added that general threats were loaming due to which the force remained on high alert. He said that some American and French trainers had provided training to capital police.
The IGP said that the total strength of Diplomatic Protection Department (DPD) or security division was 5,900 while the strength of operation department was around 2575, which guarded 1.5 million population of the capital.
When asked why the capital police had drawn a clear difference between VIPs and ordinary citizens he said no compromise could be made over the security of VIPs. However, he said that they had sent request to the government to allow them to make further recruitment in order to increase the strength of the department.
He said that the capital police had launched crackdown against active car thieves as well as car snatchers due to which the ratio of car lifting decreased to a great extent in the city. The Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) consisted of experienced police officials who had expanded the operation in other areas against carjackers. “The capital police have recently arrested a car thief from Mardan and on his identification police have arrested 23 more car thieves. He disclosed that KP police do not cooperate with raiding parties of capital police due which police are facing problems.
He said that to curb street crimes and activities of anti social elements, 28 inspectors and sub inspectors had been appointed as community police officers (CPOs) who would work with the local community. Under the new system, community police centres had been established where beat books and visitors books would be maintained. “Local residents and complainants would easily interact with the police officers in their areas. Proper facilities would be provided to the CPOs while the number of patrolling vehicles would also be increased to effectively control crime,” he said.
