SUKKUR, July 12: As many as 49 suspects have been picked up for interrogation in the ongoing operation against outlaws in RD-109 area on the Sindh-Balochistan border.

This was stated by the director general, rangers, Maj-Gen Salahuddin Satee, while speaking at a press conference at an operation camp at the Pat Feeder Canal here on Saturday. He said 4,000 personnel of Sindh and Punjab rangers were taking part in the operation that was launched on Friday on the directives of Prime Minister Mir Zafrullah Khan Jamali.

He did not disclosed the names of the arrested people, who belonged to the Chakrani tribe.

The director general said the rangers personnel had cleaned up the area from the Shahi Wah, RD-109, to the Pat Feeder, which was a stronghold of bandits. He said more than 50 weapons were recovered from the area.

The rangers also bulldozed three fortresses in the Ali Bagh village and a hideout of bandit Ali Bagh Chakrani Bugti on the Sindh-Balochistan border. Several houses of the Chakranis were also demolished.

The DG claimed that Chakrani tribesmen were involved in the recent Kashmor carnage and killing of Sibi DIGP and an irrigation engineer.

Later, the DG took journalists in a helicopter for an aerial visit of the operation area which seemed peaceful.

TI ON LoC: Tehrik Istiqlal president Rehmat Khan Vard-ag has said the Line of Control should be made a permanent border between Pakistan and India.

Speaking at a Meet the Press programme at the press club here on Friday, he said this was the only way to resolve the issue as both the countries could not dispossess each other from their captured territories of Kashmir.

About distribution of water among the provinces, Mr Vardag called for implementing the 1991 water accord.

He also justified reservations of Sindh regarding the greater Thal canal project. He said the Thal canal should only be constructed after reservations of the people of Sindh were cleared.