LAHORE: The Punjab Rangers and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police held a joint meeting at the Rangers headquarters on Friday to chalk out the operational terms of reference for joint combing and intelligence-led operations against terror networks in the province.

A senior police officer told Dawn that Rangers personnel would work under the command of CTD, which had requisitioned them for cracking down on militants in the province. The joint operations would mainly focus on banned outfits, including Jamaatul Ahrar (JA) which claimed responsibility for some of the recent attacks. He further said the major focus of intelligence-led operations and arrests would be south Punjab, and Rangers personnel had reached Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa and Bahawalpur.

Rangers personnel also reached the entry and exit points of Lahore to improve checking of vehicles. Rangers and police were deputed at Saggian and Ravi bridges and started inspecting vehicles crossing there.

The federal government three days ago approved the request of the Punjab government for the deployment of Rangers in the province to counter terrorism. The Rangers will ‘assist’ Punjab police and law enforcement agencies to fight terrorism for 60 days initially. Over 2,000 Rangers personnel will be deployed in the province with policing powers to conduct intelligence-based operations against militants, wherever required and with full authority.

The decision came in the aftermath of a suicide attack at Charing Cross on The Mall road on Feb 13, which claimed the lives of 14 people, including Deputy Inspector General Capt Mubin and Senior Superintendent of Police Zahid Nawaz Gondal.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2017