KARACHI: The Caretaker Sindh Government has decided to launch massive operation against dacoits in Sindh’s Katcha area with the help of Pakistan Army, Police and the Rangers to eliminate menace of kidnapping of the innocent people.
The decision was made in a cabinet meeting held here at Chief Minister House on Thursday with Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Maqbool Baqar in the chair.
The cabinet also accorded approval for extension of Rangers stay for another 6 months in Sindh from September 14, 2023 to February 2024.
The Inspector General Police Sindh Riffat Mukhtar briefed the Cabinet about overall law and order situation in the province with special reference to kidnapping for ransom cases and informed that during current year 2023, as many as 218 people had been kidnapped out of them 207 have so far been recovered.
There are 11 people still under the captivity of the kidnappers, the IG told the meeting and said of these 11 people seven were from Larkana, 3 from Shaheed Benazirabad and one from Sukkur districts.
The IG told the cabinet that Naveed Lashari were kidnap ped from Jacobabad, Sagar Kumar from Garhi Yaseen, Qadeer, Zaheer, Gulbahar from Kashmore and Shahid and Jabbar from Sukkur, Soomar from Qasimabad Hyderabad and Farhan and Shahid were made hostage by dacoits from Naushehro Feroze.
The Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Maqbool Baqar asked the IG Police and other law enforcement agencies for early release of all remaining hostages from their captors.
Justice Baqar also asked the IGP to keep in touch with the family members of the hostages and make them aware about the efforts being made for their release.
The Caretaker CM also directed concerned authorities for immediate suspension of internet services in the Katcha area of the province.
There are 238 villages in Sindh’s Katcha area where 8 Police stations and 20 Police Checkposts were established by the Sindh Police to provide security to the people, the cabinet was told.
The Sindh Chief Minister also asked for the posting of honest and reputable police officers in the Katcha area and those who could not perform well should be removed from the posting.
The CM also sought detailed reports regarding the status of 11 hostages and ordered them to start construction work on Ghotki – Kandhkot bridge over the Indus River so that the law and order situation could be improved.
The cabinet also decided to launch a Police operation against dacoits and drug mafia in Katcha and other areas of the province with the help of the Pakistan Army, Rangers and Anti Narcotics Force as it was the duty of the government in office to provide a peaceful and secure environment to the people of the province.
The Chief Minister also directed the Police and law enforcers to control the street crimes in urban areas of the province and ordered forceful operations be initiated against street criminals.
Justice Baqar said law and order in the province were not satisfactory as no one can walk freely by taking a mobile phone in one’s hands and this situation could not be tolerated.
All Ministers, Advisors, Special Assistants to CM, Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Fakhar Alam, IG Riffat Mukhtar, Principal Secretary to CM Hassan Naqvi, Advocate General, Prosecutor General and other concerned officers attended the meeting.
