Curtain close: Operation Zarb-i-Ahan ends

DPO says Kacha region made safe again

LAHORE: The Punjab Police have successfully completed the three-month-long Operation Zarb-i-Ahan in the Kacha region (riverine areas of south Punjab), Rahim Yar Khan DPO Zeeshan Asghar said at a press conference at the Police Lines on Thursday.

He was joined by Investigations SP Irfan Samoo, DSPs Mehar Nasir Saqib, Jamshed Ali Shah, and SHOs Amjad Rasheed and Shabir Jharrar.

The DPO said Operation Zarb-i-Ahan was a grand operation launched by the police against “dangerous gangs operating from hidey-holes in the Kacha area”. He said they had recently apprehended 77 wanted criminals, killed one in an encounter, and seized anti-aircraft guns, over a dozen Kalashnikov rifles, guns, pistols, rounds and other artillery from the gangs there. He said the area had been considered a no-go zone for a long time. “We have made the Kacha region safe again.”

A spokesperson of the Punjab Police said according to a departmental report compiled in this regard, 600 police officials including 12 teams of the Elite Force had participated in the operation that began in April. During the operation, the police were assisted by cops from two adjacent districts, Kashmor and Ghotki in Sindh. Heavy ammunition and weapons including G-3s, SMHs, RPG7s, HMGs, LMGs, sniper guns and APCs were used by the police in the operation.

The report said 77 members of six notorious gangs including Bagga Kosh, Kathoor Ghafoor Kosh, Malawa Jhanga Kosh, Shairbaaz alias Borra Machi and Jorani have been arrested. The riverine areas were once their hideouts but the police had managed to cordon off the areas. The report said 19 members of Jorani Gang, 51 of Kosh Gang and seven members of Borra Machi Gang had been arrested.

DPO Zeeshan Asghar said he had led the operation in the riverine areas himself. He also lauded Kot Sabzal SHO Ghulam Dastageer, Bhong SHO Muhammad Iqbal, Sadiqabad Saddar SHO Abdul Haadi, the Ahmadpur Lama SHO, the Abadpur SHO, the Shidani SHO and Elite Force In-charge Munir Ahmad and their teams for their exemplary performance in conducting the operation. He handed out cash prizes and certificates of appreciation.

DPO Asghar said the residents of Kacha region have historically been small-scale farmers. “For several years, the original residents of this region had been driven away by lawless brigands.” He said now that Operation Zarb-i-Ahan was over, they could return to their lands and cultivate them without fear. “We will provide them with protection and every possible facility.” Responding to a question, Asghar said if they found any policeman or Revenue Department officials involved in fear mongering, Rahim Yar Khan DCO Captain (r) Zafar Iqbal would make sure that they are terminated from service and that strict action is taken against them. A joint-operation by the Pakistan Rangers and the Punjab Police was launched in March against the Chotu gang. Chotu later surrendered to the Pakistan Army along with 42 members of his family and seven other accomplices.

This was fifth police operation against gangs in the Kacha area since 2002.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2016.