Punjab tightens noose around bandits

Police claim killing RY Khan attack mastermind; provincial govt announces Rs10m head money

LAHORE:

The Punjab police announced on Friday that they had taken down the main culprit behind a rocket attack by dacoits in Rahim Yar Khan District's Machka area, which martyred 12 police officers.

The operation is a step toward breaking the back of organised crime in the region – which has long been a thorn in the side of law enforcement in the riverine border areas of southern Sindh and central Punjab, often raking in profits through kidnap-for-ransom operations.

On Thursday, two police vehicles carrying around 22 officers were on their way back from a police camp in the Katcha (riverine) area when recent rains turned the roads into a quagmire, causing one of the vehicles to break down.

The breakdown set the stage for a deadly ambush. The police party came under fire from dacoits, who unleashed rockets on the stranded vehicles and then opened fire, martyring 11 officers on the spot. The death toll climbed to 12 by Friday.

Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar reported that a joint operation by Punjab and Sindh police had been launched, with 320 personnel from Punjab alone, to bring the criminals to book.

In retaliation for Thursday's attack, the police confirmed that the mastermind, Bashir Shar, had been neutralised, with five of his accomplices wounded in the operation.

"Punjab police responded with an iron fist to the terrorist attack in the Katcha areas. The main suspect, Bashir Shar, has reached the end of the road," the police announced in a post on X.

"During the Punjab police's action, five accomplices of dacoit Bashir Shar - dacoits Sanaullah Shar, Gada Ali, Kamlu Shar, Ramzan Shar, and Gadi - were also injured," the police added.

"At least twelve policemen were martyred, and eight others injured in the attack," police spokesperson Saif Ali Wains told AFP, adding that the gang used rocket launchers to target the stranded officers.

The funeral prayers for the fallen officers were held in Rahim Yar Khan in the afternoon, with tributes paid to their ultimate sacrifice.

The prayers were attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, as well as civil and military leaders, PTV News reported. Funeral wreaths were laid before the bodies were sent off to the officers' hometowns.

The funeral drew prominent figures, including Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Punjab Home Secretary Noor ul Amin Mengal, and Punjab IG Dr Usman Anwar, among other high-ranking civil and military officials.

Bounty on heads announced

Meanwhile, in a bid to strengthen its efforts to cleanse the region of such elements, the Punjab government has also placed bounties on the heads of the most dangerous Katcha dacoits, offering rewards of up to Rs10 million.

The government notified a bounty of Rs10 million on high-value targets, Rs5 million on dangerous bandits, and Rs2.5 million on those in the third category.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed IG Anwar and other senior officials to rush to Rahim Yar Khan to handle the crisis. Her Sindh counterpart, Murad Ali Shah, also instructed his provincial police chief to extend any help required to the Punjab forces.

CM Maryam further directed the Punjab home secretary to kick-start an immediate operation in the Katcha areas, according to a post on X by her PML-N party.

"She has ordered a swift and effective crackdown on the dacoits, with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab leading the charge," the PML-N stated.

Top police officials removed

Meanwhile, in the wake of the deadly rocket attack, the Punjab government has removed the top police leadership in Rahim Yar Khan, including the DPO, the SP, and the DSP Organised Crime, from their posts.

According to official notifications issued by IG Police Dr Usman Anwar, DPO Imran Ahmed Malik (PSP/BS-18) has been reassigned to the central police office (CPO). Additional SP Muhammad Javed Akhtar Jatoi (PP/BS-18) and DSP Kaleem Ahmad (M/188, C/108) have also been directed to report to the CPO.

In a swift replacement, Rizwan Omer Gondal (PSP/BS-19) has been appointed as the new DPO of Rahim Yar Khan. Gondal, who was serving as senior superintendent of police (SSP) Administration at the CTD Punjab in Lahore, has prior experience in the region, having been part of a recent anti-Kacha bandit operation conducted jointly by Sindh and Punjab Police.

Getting rid of the criminals

In a bid to ensure that the sacrifices made by the martyrs were not in vain, Punjab Home Secretary Noor ul Amin Mengal vowed that the government would leave no stone unturned in bringing these outlaws to justice. "The sacrifices of our martyrs will not go in vain," he said.

He said that the operation against the Katcha bandits will continue until the area is completely rid of these criminals. He assured the public that the government, in collaboration with the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), would not rest until the state's authority is firmly re-established in the region.

Mengal, along with other officials, visited the site of the attack and later held a meeting to discuss the future course of action.

He visited Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan, where he met with the injured police officers, offering words of encouragement and ensuring that they received the best possible medical care.

IG Police Dr Usman Anwar, accompanied by senior officials including the Additional IG Special Branch, Additional IG Elite Force, and Additional IG CTD, also visited the injured officers.

During the visit, Dr Anwar praised the bravery and sacrifices of the Punjab Police, noting that they have consistently been on the front lines against terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements in the Katcha area and border posts.

He pledged that the Punjab Police would not rest until the region was completely secured.

In the meantime, fresh contingents of the CTD and police have been deployed to the Katcha area, with orders to ramp up the operation and re-establish the state's writ in the region.

The government is also considering additional measures, including deploying more advanced technology and resources, to bolster the ongoing operation.

Sindh whirs into action

Separately, in the wake of the Rahim Yar Khan attack, Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed the police to stay on their toes and ensure fool-proof security across the province.

"Security measures should be made extremely robust and extraordinary at every level, especially on the occasion of Friday," Lanjar said in a statement.

He ordered that police deployment at major mosques, imambargahs, and Friday prayers be made prominent.

The minister also ordered that police patrolling, snap-checking, and other security measures be intensified near Friday prayer gatherings, underscoring the gravity of the ongoing threat.