MIANWALI: Police arrested two hardened criminals on Wednesday after an hours-long exchange of fire with them in Salt Range mountains in the Paikhel police jurisdiction.

District Police Officer (DPO) Mujahid Akbar Khan told Dawn an operation was going on in the district against the wanted criminals hiding in mountains and along the River Indus areas.

About the recent arrests, he said on a tip off that absconders were in the mountains, a police team, headed by Musakhel Deputy Superintendent of Police Razaullah Khan, was fielded to capture the criminals. The police team included Paikhel Station House Officer (SHO) Ghulam Muhammad Khan, Daudkhel SHO Amir Ahmed Khan, Chakrala SHO Shahid Nisar Akbar, Mooch SHO Zafar Abbas, Wan Bachran SHO Arbab Tufail and two teams of elite force.

The team climbed the mountains in the foggy weather.

As soon as the police neared their hideout, gunmen opened fire at them. Police also retaliated the fire and the exchange of fire continued for one hour. Later, the gunmen turned themselves in to police. No one was injured in the gunfire.

The arrested gunmen are: Liaqat Khan, of Sawans, and Muhammad Tariq. Liaqat was wanted in a murder case registered with the Paikhel police station in 2004 and police seized on him a Kalashnikov, three magazines with 600 cartridges, two torches and a binocular. Tariq, of Watoanwala, had been at large for the last two years in a murder case of Mooch police. Police seized one rifle, two magazines and 150 cartridges from him.

The DPO said both gunmen were also involved in several kidnap-for-ransom cases.

About the operation clean-up, the DPO said police had arrested Ghulam Abbas Khan, of Rokhri, Muhammad Khan, alias Khani of Hindalwala, Nasir Abbas, of Yarookhel, Shah Alam, of Phathi Phathanawala, Faiz Muhammad, Ghaus Muhammad, Ikramullah, Muhammad Khan, Ahmed Nawaz, Najeebulah Khan, Naimatullah Khan and Sajwal Khan.

Mr Khan said it was assumed that Mianwali police were hesitant about going to the treacherous areas of Kacha and Salt Range but the force had proved they could take action in both areas.

Mr Khan said he would continue the operation till the arrest of absconders in the district. He sought public support to clean the area from criminals.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2015

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