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LAHORE:
The Punjab police introduced on Friday that that they had taken down the primary offender behind a rocket assault by dacoits in Rahim Yar Khan District’s Machka space, which martyred 12 law enforcement officials.
The operation is a step towards breaking the again of organised crime within the area – which has lengthy been a thorn within the aspect of legislation enforcement within the riverine border areas of southern Sindh and central Punjab, usually raking in earnings via kidnap-for-ransom operations.
On Thursday, two police autos carrying round 22 officers have been on their means again from a police camp within the Katcha (riverine) space when latest rains turned the roads right into a quagmire, inflicting one of many autos to interrupt down.
The breakdown set the stage for a lethal ambush. The police social gathering got here underneath hearth from dacoits, who unleashed rockets on the stranded autos after which opened hearth, martyring 11 officers on the spot. The dying toll climbed to 12 by Friday.
Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar reported {that a} joint operation by Punjab and Sindh police had been launched, with 320 personnel from Punjab alone, to deliver the criminals to guide.
In retaliation for Thursday’s assault, the police confirmed that the mastermind, Bashir Shar, had been neutralised, with 5 of his accomplices wounded within the operation.
“Punjab police responded with an iron fist to the terrorist assault within the Katcha areas. The important suspect, Bashir Shar, has reached the top of the street,” the police introduced in a put up on X.
“During the Punjab police’s motion, 5 accomplices of dacoit Bashir Shar – dacoits Sanaullah Shar, Gada Ali, Kamlu Shar, Ramzan Shar, and Gadi – have been additionally injured,” the police added.
“At least twelve policemen have been martyred, and eight others injured within the assault,” police spokesperson Saif Ali Wains informed AFP, including that the gang used rocket launchers to focus on the stranded officers.
The funeral prayers for the fallen officers have been held in Rahim Yar Khan within the afternoon, with tributes paid to their final sacrifice.
The prayers have been attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in addition to civil and navy leaders, PTV News reported. Funeral wreaths have been laid earlier than the our bodies have been despatched off to the officers’ hometowns.
The funeral drew distinguished figures, together with Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Punjab Home Secretary Noor ul Amin Mengal, and Punjab IG Dr Usman Anwar, amongst different high-ranking civil and navy officers.
Bounty on heads introduced
Meanwhile, in a bid to strengthen its efforts to cleanse the area of such parts, the Punjab authorities has additionally positioned bounties on the heads of essentially the most harmful Katcha dacoits, providing rewards of as much as Rs10 million.
The authorities notified a bounty of Rs10 million on high-value targets, Rs5 million on harmful bandits, and Rs2.5 million on these within the third class.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed IG Anwar and different senior officers to hurry to Rahim Yar Khan to deal with the disaster. Her Sindh counterpart, Murad Ali Shah, additionally instructed his provincial police chief to increase any assist required to the Punjab forces.
CM Maryam additional directed the Punjab dwelling secretary to kick-start a direct operation within the Katcha areas, in keeping with a put up on X by her PML-N social gathering.
“She has ordered a swift and efficient crackdown on the dacoits, with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab main the cost,” the PML-N said.
Top police officers eliminated
Meanwhile, within the wake of the lethal rocket assault, the Punjab authorities has eliminated the highest police management in Rahim Yar Khan, together with the DPO, the SP, and the DSP Organised Crime, from their posts.
According to official notifications issued by IG Police Dr Usman Anwar, DPO Imran Ahmed Malik (PSP/BS-18) has been reassigned to the central police workplace (CPO). Additional SP Muhammad Javed Akhtar Jatoi (PP/BS-18) and DSP Kaleem Ahmad (M/188, C/108) have additionally been directed to report back to the CPO.
In a swift substitute, Rizwan Omer Gondal (PSP/BS-19) has been appointed as the brand new DPO of Rahim Yar Khan. Gondal, who was serving as senior superintendent of police (SSP) Administration on the CTD Punjab in Lahore, has prior expertise within the area, having been a part of a latest anti-Kacha bandit operation performed collectively by Sindh and Punjab Police.
Getting rid of the criminals
In a bid to make sure that the sacrifices made by the martyrs weren’t in useless, Punjab Home Secretary Noor ul Amin Mengal vowed that the federal government would go away no stone unturned in bringing these outlaws to justice. “The sacrifices of our martyrs won’t go in useless,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that the operation towards the Katcha bandits will proceed till the world is totally rid of those criminals. He assured the general public that the federal government, in collaboration with the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), wouldn’t relaxation till the state’s authority is firmly re-established within the area.
Mengal, together with different officers, visited the location of the assault and later held a gathering to debate the longer term plan of action.
He visited Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan, the place he met with the injured law enforcement officials, providing phrases of encouragement and making certain that they obtained the very best medical care.
IG Police Dr Usman Anwar, accompanied by senior officers together with the Additional IG Special Branch, Additional IG Elite Force, and Additional IG CTD, additionally visited the injured officers.
During the go to, Dr Anwar praised the bravery and sacrifices of the Punjab Police, noting that they’ve constantly been on the entrance traces towards terrorists, bandits, and different prison parts within the Katcha space and border posts.
He pledged that the Punjab Police wouldn’t relaxation till the area was utterly secured.
In the meantime, recent contingents of the CTD and police have been deployed to the Katcha space, with orders to ramp up the operation and re-establish the state’s writ within the area.
The authorities can also be contemplating extra measures, together with deploying extra superior expertise and assets, to bolster the continuing operation.
Sindh whirs into motion
Separately, within the wake of the Rahim Yar Khan assault, Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed the police to remain on their toes and guarantee fool-proof safety throughout the province.
“Security measures needs to be made extraordinarily strong and extraordinary at each degree, particularly on the event of Friday,” Lanjar mentioned in an announcement.
He ordered that police deployment at main mosques, imambargahs, and Friday prayers be made distinguished.
The minister additionally ordered that police patrolling, snap-checking, and different safety measures be intensified close to Friday prayer gatherings, underscoring the gravity of the continuing risk.
