Futile operations

It looks as if there is no stopping the bandits of katcha. Earlier this week, five cops were martyred after a police checkpoint in Rahim Yar Khan district, located in southern Punjab, had been attacked with rockets and grenades by dozens of bandits of katcha. These notorious criminal gangs — infamous for kidnapping, extortion, murder and honey trapping — have been operating in the riverine areas of Sindh and Punjab.

This menace dates back to the nineties, and continues to persist despite several 'grand operations' against them, also involving the military. None of these operations has been successful in fully eradicating the terror of these bandits for officials and citizens alike.

Just last year, at least 19 policemen were martyred during the course of several attacks by the katcha bandits, but despite what the Punjab Police termed a 'historic' operation, these callous outlaws remain undefeated by and large. It is a painful tragedy that time and again, lives are lost due to a handful of goons who believe they operate above the law.

For ages, katcha bandits have effectuated dreadful hegemony over the region, spreading mass panic and unrest within the local populace. That these bandits still obtain heavy weaponry, including RPGs and even anti-aircraft guns, speaks of the futility of the various operations against them. And stories of their violence continue to emerge in a cycle of death, anger and eventually amnesia.

The state must move beyond fragmented campaigns and meaningless posturing. It is high time that coordinated action was taken against a violent group that continually challenges the state — and wins. Internal security cannot be an endeavour that is loosely formulated. If needed, the state must engage paramilitary forces alongside police to maintain law and order, and rid the citizens of this long-persisting threat to life and property.