Army operation in katcha area likely: minister

The interim Sindh government can ask the Pakistan Army to conduct an operation in the katcha area of northern Sindh to uproot the dacoits hiding in the riverine forests, said the Interim Health Minister Dr Saad Niaz.

He was talking to the media after visiting the protest sit-in at Teen Talwar against kidnappings of Hindu community people by dacoits in Kashmore - the district on the Sindh-Punjab border notorious for the dacoit gangs entrenched in the forests along the Indus River.

Niaz said he had talked with the protestors and convinced them to end the sit-in.

He told the media persons that the protestors wanted to meet Caretaker CM Maqbool Baqar and the Sindh police chief. "We have arranged a meeting of the family members of the kidnaped persons with the CM and the IG," Niaz said.

Read Operation begins in ‘katcha’ area

If the meeting is not held, the interim health minister said, "I will join the protestors." He further said that if necessary, army operation will be launched in the katcha area.

Protest

Sitting under the shadow of three swords marked with Quaid-i-Azam's principles of unity, faith and discipline, the protestors demanded of the government to ensure safe recovery of kidnapped Hindu community persons from the clutches of dacoits in the katcha area of Kashmore.

They said that despite assurance of the home minister only three people could be recovered while many others including Sagar Kumar, Priya Kumari and Nazia were still in the captivity of dacoits.

They also demanded justice for Fatima Furiro, the 10-year-old maid raped and tortured to death at the haveli of a pir in Ranipur.

Civil society activists like Sheema Kirmani, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Junior and minority rights activists had organised the protest.

Sindh United Party Chairman Syed Zain Shah came to the sit-in to express solidarity with the kidnapped people.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2023.