TTP present in Kacha areas, says Punjab IG

Police claim separatists changing their hideouts

LAHORE:

Security forces conducting operation in the Kacha area of Punjab found evidence of the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants as well as separatists elements there, the Punjab police chief said on Friday.

Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police Usman Anwar said that the operation in vast Kacha area was going on with the support of the country’s premiere intelligence agencies and the police forces of Sindh and Balochistan.

“The CTD [Counter-Terrorism Department of the police] and the premiere intelligence agencies have found evidence of the presence of separatist nationalists and TTP militants in Kacha area, IG Anwar told a news conference.

“Two suspects who died in the operation were found to be the militants, belonging to K-P (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwah),” Usman Anwar, who was flanked by Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir at the presser, told media persons.

Another evidence of the militants’ presence in the area came from the screening of the videos and social media posts by a premiere intelligence agency through special software, he added. “They were uploading posts, while continuously changing their hideouts.”

The kacha (riverine) area in southern Punjab spread over 15,000 square kilometre on both sides of the Indus river. The forces launched the operation against criminals hiding there after it became a no-go area for the law-enforcers.

Since the launch of the operation, police claimed to have cleared 23,500 acres of land, despite very difficult terrain, while operation continued to clear the remaining 12,000 square kilometres of land. “Terrain in the area is the real enemy,” the IG said.

Rejecting criticism of the operation by certain quarters, the IG said that there was no “political angling” behind it sudden launch. “Preparations continued for a quite some time but we kept the element of surprise for the effectiveness of the operation.”

He added that the National Security Council (NSC) took the decision, while the police forces of Sindh and Balochistan were cooperating with Punjab police. “A police officer of Sindh was martyred. The Sindh IG has offered APCs to the Punjab police.”

About the post-operation scenario, the IG said that they had set up pickets and planned to construct elevated check posts and roads. He mentioned there had been no abduction as a result of the intelligence-based operation.

The IG revealed the enemy fired rockets at them during the operation. “Their rockets will not dampen our morale and our will,” he said. The IG also appreciated the support from the caretaker government and the army leadership. Earlier, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Kacha area in Rahimyar Khan to express his support for the ongoing counter-terrorism operation and to boost the morale of the police.

Accompanied by Information Minister Amir Mir, chief secretary, IG, and senior officials from law-enforcement agencies, Naqvi met with the jawans involved in the operation against the criminals.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2023.