Following a sharp rise in crime in the capital city which has worried residents, President Ashraf Ghani in a meeting at the Presidential Palace on Monday directed security heads to speed up their efforts for ensuring the safety of the capital city’s residents.

Ghani said arresting insurgency networks, criminal networks, kidnappers and armed illegal groups in Kabul should be the top priority of security agencies.

A spokesman for Ministry of Interior Nusrat Rahimi said a plan has been submitted to the president to strengthen vulnerable areas in the city.

The rise in crime in the city has concerned lawmakers as well. Some of them said the government should pay serious attention to the matter.

“A motorbike was stolen from inside the compound of a police department. The motorbike worth AFs40,000. The head of the police department then tookAFs20,000 from the owner of the motorbike in exchange for the motorbike,” said Ghulam Hussain Nasiri, an MP, referring to corruption in police headquarters in the city.

“Relation-based appointments, appointments for bribe and deals in the election process not only has worsened security situation in Kabul but has deteriorated the situation across the country,” said Sayed Ahmad Silab, an MP.

In a recent incident on Sunday, seven members of one family were killed by unknown armed men.

Reports indicate that only in the last three days, nearly 10 people have been killed in different parts of Kabul and a few others have been wounded.