LAHORE: Despite a significant increase in budgetary allocations, the Punjab Police has struggled to control crime rates in the last five years. Funding for the force has seen a dramatic increase, but crime statistics reveal a worrying trend.
As of 2019, the Punjab Police budget has increased by 75%. The 2019 budget was Rs 111.78 billion. By June this year, the police had already spent over Rs 195 billion. This budget includes transport costs of Rs 530 crore and annual petrol expenditure of Rs 10 billion.
Despite a substantial increase in financial resources, the police failed to reduce crime. Over the past five years, crime has increased by 226%. This alarming increase calls into question the effectiveness of the financial investment made to strengthen the capabilities of the police force.
The significant increase in the police budget was expected to strengthen law enforcement efforts, improve security and reduce crime. However, the escalating crime rate indicates a mismatch between the financial resources allocated and the results achieved.