Kidnapping-for-ransom gangs: 85 tribesmen join security forces

Police to rely on local cleric’s testimony before ‘trusting’ any tribe.

RAHIM YAR KHAN/RAJAN PUR: About 85 youngsters belonging to various Lathani tribes have announced they will join the security forces in an operation against kidnapping-for-ransom gangs in Katcha Karachi and Katcha Razi areas surrounding Rahim Yar Khan.

The decision was taken during a jirga held on Wednesday in Sonmiani village at Khan Lathani’s house. Rahim Yar Khan DPO Sohail Habib Tajik was also present.

He said that the police would provide special uniforms to the volunteer force so that they could be distinguished from the outlaws. He said the volunteers would also get weapons.

Of the 85 who offered to volunteer, 25 belonged to Katcha Both’s Wadera Qadu Lathani tribe, 30 to Chak Chiragh Shah’s Mama Wazir Lathani tribe and 30 to Chakar Goth’s Deputy Nazir Lathani tribe.

The police registered them and will now forward the list to the Punjab Inspector General of Police, Javed Iqbal, for approval.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Deputy Nazir Lathani said his tribe would lend all support to the police and Rangers during the operation. He said his tribe was against those who took the law in their hands, adding that he had been a part of the operation against the Katcha Karachi gangs launched some years ago.

They said that a Shahbazpur cleric was helping the police identifying the tribes that could assist the police in the operation. “Only those tribes whose reputation is certified to by him would be included in the operation,” they said.

‘Criminals’ say cases made up by rivals

Nine notorious criminals, on Thursday, surrendered themselves to the Bangla Icha police.

These included Hafiz, Ghulam Qadir, Abdul Sattar, Allah Jawaaya, Mizaar ali, Allah Dad, Abdul Ghafaar and Chaakar.

The move came after the police teams of Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan in a joint operation against criminals hiding in the katcha areas at the Punjab-Sindh border.

The police had earlier announced that those who surrender would be given relief.

These men were wanted by Rajanpur police in several cases including gang rape, murder, robberies and kidnapping-for-ransom.

Talking to The Express Tribune, they said most of the cases had been registered against them because of enmities with other tribes.

Rajanpur DPO, Sohail Zafar Chatta, said that the police would continue their crackdown against outlaws but would provide assistance to those who lay their arms.

He said that the operation was continuing successfully. He said he was in touch with the police chiefs of Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan regions.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2011.