In Karachi, the Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh, Justice (retd) MaqboolBaqar, gave the green light on Friday for a joint operation by the PakistanArmy and Sindh Rangers to combat dacoits in the riverine area of theprovince.
This decision was made during the 28th meeting of the provincial APEXcommittee. The operation will target dacoits in Sukkur and Larkanadivisions, with concerns raised over their interference with theconstruction of the Ghotki-Kashmore bridge.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers and security officials,including Caretaker Sindh Home Minister Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz, CorpsCommander Karachi Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar, Sindh InspectorGeneral Police (IGP) Riffat Mukhtar, Director General (DG) Sindh RangersMajor General Azhar Waqas, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, and others.
IGP Mukhtar provided information on the situation in the riverine area,stating that approximately 50 to 60 dacoits were active in the Katcha area,along with their tribesmen. He highlighted the police’s preparations,including the establishment of eight forward base camps with 50 personneleach in four districts, and the creation of 400 police check posts, ofwhich 210 had already been set up with 3,200 policemen deployed.
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Regarding the issue of kidnappings for ransom, IGP Mukhtar reported atotal of 220 kidnappings in 2023, with the majority in Larkana, Sukkur, andKarachi. However, he noted that 210 of the kidnapped individuals had beenrescued. In response to the need for advanced military weapons, CorpCommander Lt General Babar Iftikhar mentioned that the Ministries ofDefence and Interior had granted clearance for procurement.
This development followed the recent discovery of a substantial cache ofmilitary-grade weapons in Ghotki. Lt General Babar Iftikhar also directedSindh Rangers to provide security for the Ghotki-Kashmore bridgeconstruction site workers.
