Islamabad Sees 20pc Crime Drop, Climbs To 93rd Safest City Globally

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th May, 2025) The historic 20 percent drop in crime has propelled Islamabad to the 93rd position among 380 cities worldwide in Numbeo's latest World Safety Index, placing it ahead of major metropolises such as London, New York, Moscow, and Barcelona.

A public relations officer told APP on Sunday that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi assumed office on April 22, 2024, and since then has introduced wide-ranging reforms that significantly improved public safety and transformed Islamabad Police into a more efficient and responsive force.

He said the reforms led to a substantial decline in serious crimes including robbery, dacoity, murder and vehicle theft, with 600 fewer incidents reported in 2025 compared to the previous year.

He said enhancements in operational capacity included the establishment of a Command and Control Center at CTD and Safe City, reorganization of the Special Branch, formation of the Dolphin Emergency Response Unit and Sherdil Squad, and deployment of commandos in the Red Zone.

He said special units such as the Margalla Trail Patrol, Ababeel Squad, City Watchers and the K-9 Unit were deployed to ensure safety across recreational, commercial, and sensitive zones, while a Special Protection Unit was created for the security of Chinese nationals.

He said to bring police services closer to the public, initiatives such as "Police Station on Wheels," renovation of all police stations under the SIPS project and the launch of the Cascade Police Service Center in the Diplomatic Enclave were undertaken.

He said AI-powered tools like Hunch Lab, the Cyber Security Digital Sophistication Project, and the Virtual Patrolling Officer initiative were introduced to strengthen preventive policing.

He said the "Drugs! Not Anymore" campaign resulted in the arrest of 2,896 suspects and recovery of large quantities of narcotics, while over 21,000 cases were registered and thousands of absconders and habitual criminals apprehended.

He said the Islamabad Police provided security for 11 international conferences, 12 foreign delegations, 69 VVIP movements, 497 protests, and 756 major events throughout the year.

He said multiple citizen-centric services such as the online Women Police Station, IGP Complaint Cell (1715), ITP facilitation for senior citizens, and community engagement programs were also launched to promote public trust and cooperation.