January 25, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 24, 1426

HYDERABAD, Jan 24: An operation to find people kidnapped from Karachi continued in Hyderabad, Matiari and Jamshoro districts on Tuesday. Police also used a helicopter to monitor different areas.

The operation is being conducted on information provided by the Karachi police who believe that the hostages are kept somewhere in these areas.

Police are establishing pickets at places which have been used as hideouts by bandits.

RPO Bachal Sangri, Hyderabad DIGP Mazhar Shaikh, Hyderabad headquarters SP Pervez Chandio, Matiari DPO Arib Mahar and Jamshoro DPO Attaullah Chandio took an aerial view of the area in the helicopter.

“Police officers in the helicopter held aerial survey of Salaro, Khebrani, Jakhri, Peero ki Dhandh, Manjo Patan, Laung Sheedi and Samoon Ketis areas for more than one hour,” said a police source.

It was learnt that on Wednesday, Pakistan Rangers director-general Maj-Gen Javed Zia and Citizen-Police Liaison Committee chief Sharfuddin would also visit areas in Matiari, Jamshoro and Hyderabad.

Police sources said that a large area in kutcha had been searched during the last 36 hours but no progress had been made.

“Now it seems to be a routine search,” claimed another source while expressing his disappointment over the level of information being given to the interior police by their Karachi counterparts.

The Karachi police are, however, tight-lipped about identity of the hostages. “The kidnapped people are of the middle class and none of them is landowner, industrialist or businessman,” said a Karachi police source.