Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan has ordered intensification of a crackdown against terrorists and criminals involved in attacks on police teams.
Presiding over a meeting at in Dera Ghazi Khan where he was briefed about preliminary investigation into an overnight terrorist attack on a police post in Taunsa Sharif, he emphasised the need to pursue the action against the terrorists and their facilitators till its logical conclusion.
The IGP ordered the deployment of additional personnel and snipers backed by modern resources at the checkpoints along the provincial border. He asked South Punjab Deputy IG (Administration and Establishment) Muhammad Saleem to submit a detailed inquiry report about the incident within 24 hours.
He said there should be no delay in taking action against those found responsible for negligence during the inquiry covering all aspects of the incident. He directed the South Punjab Additional IG to monitor the police operations in sensitive areas, including the riverine region, and send reports regarding the search and combing operations to the Central Police Office on a daily basis.
The IGP said major operations should be conducted against organised criminal gangs to strengthen the rule of law in the Kacha area. Police teams should increase patrolling in sensitive areas, while supervisory officers should monitor the operations.
He said more resources, modern weapons and additional personnel would be provided to the police teams for the operations against the anti-social elements. He said coordination and information sharing with the Sindh and Balochistan police should be improved to curb movement of criminals.
The AIGs of South Punjab, Special Branch, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), regional and district police officers of Dera Ghazi Khan, DIG Operations other officers attended the meeting.
Earlier, the IGP attended the funeral prayers of Head Constable Mazhar Iqbal who had been martyred in the attack. He said on the occasion that officials of the department who embraced martyrdom were real heroes of the nation. He promised to ensure the welfare of the families of the martyrs.
He said the terrorists could not demoralise the police with such actions.
The IGP met the family of the martyr and said the police would not hesitate to make any sacrifice to protect the people. A large number of police officials, lawyers, political and social figures offered the funeral prayers, after which the body was sent the native village of the late official to be buried with full honors.
Head Constable Mazhar Iqbal gad been martyred in firing by unidentified people on a police picket located on the border between Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He left his parents, wife and two children.
IGP Aamir Zulfiqar also visited the Nishtar Hospital in Multan and met police official Mohammad Ramzan who was injured in the attack. He said the injured personnel should be provided the best care and all possible support.
Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also condemned the terrorist attack on the Jhangi police checkpoint in the Wahova area.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2023.
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