THE riverine areas where the borders of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan meet have long been a haven for criminal gangs, and frequent armed operations by the state have failed to permanently dislodge the outlaws from their redoubts. Yet another operation is being planned, this time by the Sindh government, to address the problem of criminal gangs in the upper reaches of the province. The Sindh cabinet on Thursday decided that military-grade weapons would be procured along with surveillance equipment to help the law enforcers overpower the outlaws. According to a handout, the army and Rangers will also be on board, while the Punjab and Balochistan administrations will be contacted in order to facilitate a coordinated operation. The area of focus will be the districts of Kashmore, Shikarpur and Ghotki. Meanwhile, in January, the Punjab police high command had announced a similar operation in the southern parts of the province to flush out militants and criminals. The army-led grand operation against the Chhotu gang in 2016 in southern Punjab is also fresh in the mind.

The question arises why operations have to be launched every few years, and why the bandit problem in the katcha areas of the three provinces cannot be addressed on a permanent basis. The difficult terrain is ideal for lawbreakers to carry out their activities, and often victims of kidnappings are carried off to these riverine areas. Interprovincial coordination is a must, as outlaws can sneak into neighbouring provinces to evade arrest. It is also important that LEAs are equipped with proper gear; we have often witnessed the sad spectacle where armed criminals are fighting with advanced weaponry, while security personnel make do with less effective arms. In this era of technology, it should not be too difficult to precisely locate the outlaws’ hideouts, and prevent them from accessing lethal weaponry. It is hoped this time the operation has a long-lasting impact.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2023