ISLAMABAD – Islamabad crime data show troubling picture of pending investigations, as hundreds of suspects still at large and cases awaiting legal progress. A 2026 police document lists hundreds of cases under investigation, while discrepancies in the official statistics raise further questions about the actual status of unresolved crimes in the federal capital.
The 2026 crime statistics document concerning Islamabad raised serious questions about the accuracy of official police records, with thousands of accused listed across five major crime categories and significant discrepancies emerging between the report’s summary and its detailed figures.
The document covers kidnapping, sexual offences, robbery, murder and car theft. Over 1,400 cases were registered cases involving 2,428 nominated accused, of whom 876 were arrested and 1,550 remained at large.
A breakdown of the individual categories shows different picture. The five categories collectively account for 1,535 cases and 2,628 nominated accused, while their combined arrest figures reach 935 and the number of accused listed as at large rises to 1,691. The differences have raised questions about how the statistics were compiled and whether the consolidated figures accurately reflect the detailed crime records. The document does not explain the discrepancies, and their cause remains unverified.
Robbery Tops Crime List
Robbery emerged as the largest category in the annexure, accounting for 723 cases involving 1,652 nominated accused, including incidents involving residential properties and commercial establishments. The detailed figures record 510 arrests, while 1,143 accused were listed as at large. Another 476 cases remained under investigation, 181 had police reports submitted, and 364 were under trial. A further 65 cases were classified as untraced.
The figures show investigative workload, particularly concerning suspects who have yet to be apprehended. However, the document provides no details about the duration of pending investigations or the reasons arrests have not been made in individual cases.
Kidnapping Figures and Cancelled Cases
Kidnapping ranked second, with 491 registered cases and 438 nominated accused. According to the annexure, 106 accused had been arrested, while 327 were listed as at large. The category also recorded 227 cases under investigation, 58 with police reports submitted and 118 under trial.
There are 205 cancelled kidnapping cases. This exceeds the summary’s total of 200 cancelled cases across all five categories, creating a direct numerical inconsistency within the document. The figures do not disclose why the cases were cancelled, whether the decisions followed particular evidentiary or legal findings, or what happened to the investigations concerned. Cancellation alone does not establish wrongdoing, but the discrepancy calls for an official explanation.
Sexual Offences
The report records 177 sexual offence cases involving 254 nominated accused. Of these, 168 were reported arrested, while 89 remained listed as at large. Police reports had been submitted in 113 cases, while 59 were still under investigation.
The annexure further records 125 cases as under trial and five as cancelled. These figures place the progress of investigations, the handling of evidence and coordination between police and prosecution authorities under scrutiny. The document, however, does not specify the reporting cut-off date or provide case-by-case outcomes.
The murder category includes 74 cases registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, involving 192 nominated accused. The report records 112 arrests and lists 80 accused as still at large. It also shows 38 cases under investigation, 35 with police reports submitted and 72 under trial.
The outstanding suspects and pending cases highlight the need for updated information about investigative progress. The annexure does not establish why particular accused remain unarrested or how long the cases have been pending.
Car Theft
The car theft category lists 70 cases under Section 381-A, involving 92 nominated accused. The detailed breakdown records 39 arrests, while 52 accused were listed as at large. Another 43 cases remained under investigation, 21 had police reports submitted and 24 were under trial. Five cases were classified as untraced and one as cancelled.
Over 700 Investigations Pending, 610 Cases Under Trial
The stats record 771 cases under investigation, 380 with police reports submitted, 68 classified as untraced, 200 cancelled and 610 under trial. The figures suggest considerable activity across investigation and judicial proceedings, but they do not provide enough detail to determine the age of pending cases, the time taken to complete investigations or the current status of individual proceedings.
The absence of a clearly stated reporting cut-off date is another limitation. The document also does not clarify whether its procedural categories are mutually exclusive or whether some cases may appear under more than one status.
Islamabad Police would need to clarify the differences between the consolidated and category-wise statistics, specify the period covered by the report, explain the cancellation figures and provide updated information on outstanding investigations and arrests.