The 2004 turned out to
be a terrible year for the Punjab police, as terrorism
raged across the province and authorities remained clueless
about several major cases despite public outcry.
Police statements boasting
efficient vigilance resounded hollow as massive killings
in Mughalpura and bomb blasts in Sialkot, Multan and Mochi
Gate, Lahore created one of the worst law and order situations
in recent history. Police sources stated that 146,478
criminal cases were registered by police stations in Punjab
from November 16, 2003 to December 15. Of these, 4,957
were of murder cases, 6,341 of attempted murder, 10,274
were of adultery, 143 of gang rape, 4,792 of abduction
and 97 of kidnapping. Of 28,858 robberies registered,
1,602 were dacoities, 8,421 muggings, 1,487 thefts, 10,287
breaking and entering and 7,061were car thefts. Also 48,205
weapons cases and 42,811 narcotics cases were reported.
Lahore Capital City Police
arrested 1,644 criminals belonging to 311 gangs during
2004 while 9,680 proclaimed offenders and 12,440 court
absconders were also rounded up. Looted and stolen property
worth Rs 480 million was also seized. The detained criminals
confessed to 3,523 cases including 13 cases of dacoity-cum-murder,
27 of murder, 118 of dacoity, 1,154 of robbery, 903 of
burglary and 1,308 of other crimes.
The stolen and looted property
recovered during this period included 22 kg of gold jewellery,
Rs 10 million in cash, 3 Pajero jeeps, 9 trucks, 2 wagons,
5 tractors, 3 pickups, 14 auto rickshaws, 95 cars, 295
motorcycles, 53 cycles, 25 VCR, 112 TV, calling cards
worth Rs 1.9 million, wristwatches, computers, fridge
and washing machines. Police also arrested 9,680 proclaimed
offenders out of which 484 were wanted in murder cases,
784 in attempted murder cases, 237 for dacoities, 628
for robberies, 1,431 for burglaries and 6,116 in other
cases.
Of the court absconders
arrested, 55 were wanted in murder cases, 337 in attempted
murder cases, 43 for dacoities, 241 for robberies, 907
for burglaries and 10,857 in other cases.
Major police event of 2004:
May 11: Police became frantic when opposition parties
attempted to draw out a procession in the city to welcome
the return of Mian Shahbaz Sharif, the chief of Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz, despite government threats. The police
had to seal the entire city and ended up arresting hundreds
of activists of PML-N.
May 14: Six members of
a Shia family, including two women and an infant were
shot dead at their home in Mughalpura. Naveed Haider Shah
(32), his wife Sobia (27), sister Saima (28), brother-in-law
Sajjad (33), one-year-old niece Fatima and seven-year-old
maid Sobia were shot in the head. The hands and feet of
all victims except Fatima were bound and their mouths
were gagged with plastic tape.
Police said that “Shias
are infidels” was painted on the house walls and
suspected the act to be the result of sectarian intolerance.
The mass murder, the fourth such gruesome act in Lahore
since 1991, went unsolved like the rest.
On June 26, 1991 unidentified
assailants slaughtered 13 members of a family in Islampura.
The victims included women and children. In July 1997,
four women and children were shot dead in Samanabad. In
October 2000, seven people including three women were
killed in Faisal Town. In September 24, 2003 eight people
including women and children were shot dead in Allama
Iqbal Town.
June 01: A mysterious ear-splitting
explosion shook the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) ground near
the Army Guest House. However, no casualty or property
damage was reported.
Later, on December 20,
police announced the arrest of some terrorists who confessed
that Suleman alias Munna Bhaiee, Mehmood Ahmad and Sajjad
Haider Shah had installed a missile at the PAF ground.
October 01: Two suicide
bombers killed 31 people and injured dozens more in a
crowded Shia mosque, Imam Bargah Mistri Abdullah (Jamia
Masjid Zanabia) at 1:27pm after Friday prayers. October
07: 39 people were killed and over 70 were injured when
a powerful car bomb ripped through a gathering commemorating
the first death anniversary of Maulana Azam Tariq in Multan.
October 10: A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Mochi
Gate Shiite mosque, killing four persons and injuring
seven.
December 04: Three schoolgirls
and a teacher were killed and more than 65 school children
and teachers were injured (10 of them seriously) when
a 30-foot-high ride collapsed in Sozo Water Park.
The teachers and students
were from Sidra Public School, Samar Public School and
Shaheen Public School and had come to the park for a picnic.
Schoolteacher Saima (91), Amina Tehseen (11) and Saadia
(12) died instantly while Sidra Baloch (10) died in the
hospital.
