Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid to visit Sindh and prepare a strategy to deal with the worsening law and order situation in the province after meeting law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

The interior minister would present a report to the premier on his return.

This was shared by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry who said the decision was taken after Prime Minister Imran held a detailed discussion with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on the province's situation.

"Both of them informed the prime minister about their 'grave concerns' regarding the maladministration, law and order situation and rising crime in Sindh," he tweeted.

Shikarpur operation

The ministers' concerns come days after at least four people, including two policemen, were killed in an anti-bandit operation in Shikarpur. A day later, police arrested a tribal chief — Sardar Tegho Khan Teghani — along with his two sons in Karachi on charges of patronising kidnappers in the district.

The arrests were made after a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at Napur Kot police station in Shikarpur against nominated kidnappers on charges of terrorism and murder of three police personnel during the operation on May 23.

The FIR lodged on behalf of the state alleged that Sardar Teghani and his two sons were "patronising kidnappers" in his native area of Garhi Tegho.

It said contingents of police conducted a raid in Garhi Tegho for the recovery of two kidnapped persons, Inayatullah and Naqeebullah Pathan, when the nominated kidnappers attacked chained police armoured personnel carrier (APC) with rockets, resulting in the deaths of three policemen.

Police admitted that after coming under attack, the APC could not move and other policemen had to rescue the policemen in the vehicle.

Reports said that the bandits had recently kidnapped eight people and kept them in the riverine area of Garhi Tegho. Four of them were released by the bandits on Saturday night.

Police launched the operation on Sunday along with an APC but bandits fired shots of anti-aircraft guns at the vehicle from close range. This damaged the APC and killed the four people, including two policemen, present inside the APC.

On Monday, the Sindh government agreed to launch a grand operation against criminals in Shikarpur's katcha area with the assistance of the military and Rangers.

Sindh Minister for Mines and Minerals Mir Shabbir Bijarani in a statement said Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had granted permission for the military operation.

The dacoits possessed modern weapons while Sindh police had traditional weapons, he added.