Issues and Constraints in Policing Car Theft in Pakistan

Sajjad Hussain, Basharat Hussain, Farman Ali & Amir Zada Asad

Abstract
This study is an attempt to explain the issues and constrains in the control
of car theft in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Car theft is a significant and
challenging problem in Pakistan. The country has witnessed high ratio of
car theft during 1980-90s due to Political uncertainty and Afghan war.
Similarly, political interference in police department is one of the main
factors for the increasing car theft in the country. Unfortunately, police is
being blamed for its ineffectiveness, corruption, malign behaviour and for
protecting the criminals. As a result, citizens do not trust and the police
while police stations are the places usually avoided by the public. Police
corruption is endemic and is one of the greatest obstacles in combating
vehicle theft. In addition, lack of refresher courses and advance trainings
also creates barriers to control car theft. This study is a literature review of
issues and constrains to control vehicle theft that finds out that police force
needs to be reformed and re- organized on modern lines. Adoption of
‘Intelligence led Policing’ is the need of the day for controlling increasing
rate of car theft in Pakistan.

Keywords: Car theft, Intelligence led policing, corruption, Thana culture, police
reforms