RAWALPINDI: After being given policing powers in Punjab for 60 days by the federal government, Pakistan Rangers started a door-to-door search operation in Rawalpindi on Thursday together with the army, police and intelligence agencies.

The raids were carried out in some of the city’s more densely populated areas including Dhoke Matkial, Dhoke Hassur and Boring Road in the morning.

Residents of Dhoke Matkial said they were concerned when they saw the heavily armed Rangers and police officials at their door steps and later realised they had nothing to worry about as they were law abiding citizens.

“Of course we were worried because seeing Rangers and policemen on your door step is not normal, especially in the early hours of the day. We thought maybe we had done something wrong,” said a resident of Dhoke Matkai who identified himself as Jehangir.

“They asked some questions about my family members and their focus was on the tenants,” he said, adding the joint team then said they want to search his house. “I allowed them to come in the house as there were no women inside at the time, though they did have a lady officer,” he said.

According to Jehangir, Rangers and police officers ordered him to unlock the cupboards in his house, upturned the drawers, asked to see the registration books of the vehicles in the house and licenses for any weapons in the house.

The team is said to have searched the rooftop and looked into the boxes on the roof as well.

Jehangir said the Rangers searched every house in the area and asked about the whereabouts of all residents though they were focusing on those who had rented properties and more so on people who were not from the city.

According to police sources, the Rangers detained 39 people including 17 Afghan nationals during the first day of search operations in Ratta Amral, Fauji Colony and Dhoke Matkial while using their policing powers. They also recovered two semi machine guns, and two magazines and 204 rounds of ammunition.

The Rangers also recovered a repeater gun with two magazines and six 36 bore pistols with 46 rounds of ammunition. One 32 bore pistol, 11 rounds of ammunition, four mobile phones and six bottles of liquor were also recovered during the search operation. All of the 39 suspects detained by the Rangers were moved to police stations for further legal proceedings.

The Rangers also conducted search operations in Cantonment areas including the Mall Plaza, GPO Chowk and Haider Road and detained two persons from the Bajaur Agency. When asked, City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Abbasi said the door-to-door operation was started by the Rangers, who were accompanied by the army and police.

“Some 50 police officers were deputed with the Rangers for conducting search operation on Thursday,” the CPO said.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2017