July 11, 2008	Friday	Rajab 7, 1429

KARACHI, July 10: Admitting that no major figures have been apprehended in the Lyari operation, police have said that they are keeping a close liaison with the Balochistan government in an effort to nab the suspects in case they manage to escape from Sindh.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday in Lyari, DIG South Iqbal Mehmood said that in the past there had been instances where the suspects had escaped to Balochistan to evade the police.

He said the police are also keeping a close watch on the different hideouts of the Lyari gangsters in Karachi.

The deputy inspector-general, South, said that 10 suspects are being interrogated by the personnel of the Intelligence Bureau and Rangers to ascertain their role in the gang war.

He assured that the police operation would not end till the writ of the law is established in Lyari.

Referring to the police pickets, the DIG South said that pickets set up in the sensitive areas would be a permanent feature even when the operation ends.

He was quick to dispel the impression that police have acted against one side, saying that an even-handed operation has been carried out. He said that recommendations for the promotions and rewards for the policemen involved have been forwarded to the authorities.

DIG Iqbal Mehmood said the gangsters acted wisely by not retaliating against the police.

He urged the area residents to support and cooperate with the police and share information about the gangsters if they have any. “Such persons will be duly rewarded and their identity will be kept secret,” he said.

A large cache of arms and ammunition was also displayed during the press conference. Police said that a rocket launcher, one RPG 7 rocket, one light machine gun, a sten gun, a shotgun, nine AK-47s, a G3 rifle, five repeater guns, a MP-5 rifle, six pistols, 34kg charas, one kg heroin, 8,000 rounds of LMG, 10,000 rounds of AK-47 rifles and a bullet-proof jacket had been recovered.