LARKANA: Sindh Caretaker Minister for Law and Human Rights Muhammed Umar Soomro has warned in categorical terms that if any feudal lord or politician is found to have links with dacoits, he would face legal action.

Presiding over a meeting on Wednesday in Kashmore, he said there was no undue pressure on the caretakers. “We are determined to get people rid of the dacoits culture,” he said. The meeting took stock of the obtaining law and order situation, minorities’ and human rights issues in the district in the presence of all stakeholders.

Sharing their views, the representatives of the bar association, minorities and others expressed their concern over the worsening law and order situation in Kashmore district where the frequent incidents of kidnapping for ransom and robberies had made their lives miserable.

They called for improving the battered law and order situation by deploying Rangers in the district to help assist police in curbing crime and initiating stern action against the outlaws.

Caretaker minister hints at operation against kidnappers of kutcha area

The representatives also demanded immediate and safe release of the kidnapped persons from the clutches of the kutcha dacoits, saying that a few waderas and politicians were the facilitators of the dacoits, which urgently warranted a tough action against them.

They also pressed for early and safe recovery of Ms Nazia and her daughter Kusar,10, from the kidnappers. The minister asked the SSP to prepare a list of the feudal lords and politicians who were the alleged facilitators of the criminals so that an action could be initiated against them.

He said police had been given a free hand while the caretaker Sindh chief minister and his cabinet were with the people.

Speaking on the occasion, Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Rohal Khoso said the Sindh government was approached for modern weapons and more police force. He said normal police patrolling would be extensively increased to uproot criminals and initiate an action against their facilitators.

Talking to reporters. the caretaker law minister said that correcting the law and order situation was the first priority of the interim set-up. He said the deteriorating law and order situation would be contained with the enhanced police patrolling and its presence.

An operation against the criminals was definite, but it was premature to disclose about launching an anti-dacoits operation in the kutcha area, he said.

Police had no any shortage of weapons, he said and added that the demand for modern weapons would be met so as to control crime in the kutcha and pacca belts.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2023