By Abdullah Malik
CHAUNTRA (Rawalpindi), Sep 14 (APP): While Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar often dominate crime headlines, it is the rural outskirts of Rawalpindi, along the increasingly infamous Chakri Road, where a small police station, Thana Chauntra, has emerged as one of Pakistan’s most persistent crime hotspots.
Originally established in 1960 to serve peaceful farming villages, Chauntra has transformed into a hub of land mafias, drug networks, and armed violence. While crime in urban slums like Lyari or FR Peshawar has seen phases of control, Chauntra’s violent reputation has endured for over decades.
A catalogue of crime
The area has witnessed some of Rawalpindi’s worst violent incidents. In July 2020, a land dispute in Mial village escalated into a massacre: a proclaimed offender and his gunmen killed nine people, including women and children, within minutes. The trial concluded only in April 2024, when five men were sentenced to death, a verdict widely seen as overdue.
Chauntra’s crime pattern fits into broader district data. Between 2020 and 2024, Rawalpindi saw nearly 1,500 homicides. While 3,300+ suspects were arrested, over 1,200 remain at large, and many murder cases are still pending.
In February 2025, a police raid to arrest two proclaimed offenders turned into a shootout. Two Elite Force commandos were injured; the suspects fled. An FIR under the Anti-Terrorism Act followed, highlighting the paramilitary-level threat.
From farmlands to frontlines
The roots of Chauntra’s descent lie in urban expansion and skyrocketing property values. As Rawalpindi’s city limits pushed outward, so did criminal interest. Locals trace the turning point to the late 1990s, when armed land-grabbing networks, some allegedly with political protection, entered the scene.
“Back in the 70s, people didn’t even lock their doors,” recalls Muhammad Iqbal, 78. “Now, people don’t leave their houses after dark.”
Guns, raids, and real estate
The land mafia now dominates Chauntra’s criminal ecosystem, shielded by wealth and, often, political ties. A string of raids and recoveries show how deeply embedded they are:
• In August 2019, seven suspects were caught in Rajar with Kalashnikovs, M-16s, and hundreds of rounds.
• In September 2022, a raid in Sangral and Khingar netted six gangsters linked to illegal housing.
• In December 2022, 83 suspects were arrested across Chakri and Chauntra, with weapons seized.
• In November 2023, a woman was killed in a land dispute gunfight in Sangral; three others were injured.
• A teenage girl in Khengar was wounded by a stray bullet from aerial firing tied to illegal development.
In early 2023, then SHO Inspector Rana Zulfiqar was dismissed for allegedly protecting land mafias, exposing internal corruption.
A village living in fear
Residents describe a climate of fear and silence. “Evening life has died here,” says Abdul Latif, a shopkeeper. “People shut their businesses early. No one feels safe.”
Women and children are especially vulnerable. “I don’t let my daughters go to school alone,” says Sajida Bibi, a mother of four. “Every week, we hear about some kidnapping or assault.”
Even the young feel unsafe. “My grandfather remembers a peaceful Chauntra,” says Ali, 19. “But I’ve only known fear. We pray my father returns safe from Rawalpindi every night.”
Police outgunned, outnumbered
Despite arrests and raids, police admit they are ill-equipped to deal with the scale of violence.
“We are outnumbered, outgunned, and under-equipped,” says a Chauntra constable. “They have Kalashnikovs. We barely have working radios.”
In 2024, Rawalpindi registered 1,600 illegal arms cases, many originating in Chauntra. Recovered items included automatic rifles, pistols, and thousands of bullets.
SHO Khalid Mehmood acknowledges the challenge: “The geography favors criminals, and many locals fear retribution. We need not just manpower, but intelligence, political will, and public trust.”
More than a policing problem
Experts argue that Chauntra’s crisis runs deeper than crime control. “Chauntra needs long-term investment, more police posts, community policing, fast-track courts, and freedom from political meddling,” says retired SP Tariq Javed. “Without that, nothing will change.”
The community agrees. “We know who the criminals are,” says Abdul Hameed, a farmer. “But people won’t speak unless they feel protected. The police must earn our trust.”
Chauntra at a crossroads
More than 60 years since its founding, Thana Chauntra now symbolizes the wider collapse of rural law and order. While Rawalpindi’s core develops tech parks and gated communities, Chauntra remains trapped in violence, corruption, and fear.
The village is no longer simply facing a local crime issue; it now represents a broader challenge for the state in restoring governance in areas where its role has been significantly weakened.