PESHAWAR:The Peshawar High Court, during a hearing on a case concerning a missing girl from Darul Aman, raised serious concerns about the security situation in Hayatabad. Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah presided over the hearing, where the Station House Officer (SHO) of Hayatabad, Muhammad Tariq, and other police officials appeared.
Chief Justice Shah questioned SHO Tariq directly about rising crime rates, asking, “You are a young SHO, then why are there so many crimes?” The SHO responded that police were trying to control crime but highlighted significant challenges. He stated that individuals from outside areas enter Hayatabad at night, contributing to security issues.
Advocate Hamza, identifying himself as a resident of Hayatabad present in court, supported these concerns. He reported incidents of people breaching walls while intoxicated, creating problems, and noted that police face life-threatening risks during night operations. Chief Justice Shah questioned why no formal application regarding Hayatabad’s security had been filed before.
The court sought specifics on Hayatabad’s population and policing. SHO Tariq stated the population is approximately one million people, served by only two police stations. Expressing astonishment at this ratio, Chief Justice Shah questioned whether two stations were sufficient to control such a large area. The SHO cited a critical lack of resources, specifically mentioning that the petrol allocation for police mobiles had drastically reduced from 350 liters per mobile to 350 liters for the entire police station.
The court noted that security problems also exist elsewhere, like DI Khan. Chief Justice Shah then directed the Hayatabad SHO to submit a detailed report on crimes and security in the area. This report must outline the reasons behind the crimes and the current security situation. Following these directives, the court adjourned the hearing.
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