RAHIM YAR KHAN: Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced a ‘grand police operation’ against the Katcha area gangsters on Thursday, says a handout issued by the Deputy Director Public Relations.

It will be the second grand operation against the gangs of Katcha area during the current year. In the earlier operation carried out in April/May with a huge budget, 11,000 personnel had participated in the operation.

Naqvi landed at the Shaikh Zayed Airport on Thursday where Bahawalpur regional police officer briefed him on the Machka clash in which three policemen were martyred, four dacoits, three farm workers and a woman were killed.

Naqvi said a grand operation would be started immediately for complete elimination of criminals.

“An indiscriminate action against the facilitators of dacoits should also be initiated.”

The CM said crops cultivated in Katcha area should be immediately cut so that the bandits could not hide themselves.

Later, the CM visited the Shaikh Zayed Medical College Hospital where he met injured policemen and appreciated their courage.

Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar and some caretaker provincial ministers were also present there.

According to police sources, policeman Muhammad Hussain Mohana was martyred by dacoits on Wednesday night during an encounter and dacoits took his body with them.

On Thursday, the dacoits handed over the body to police in exchange of a dacoit’s body.

FUNERAL: Naqvi offered funeral prayers of constable Ghulam Hussain at the RYK Police Lines. He extended heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the grieving father of the deceased.

The CM promised also met the families of martyred constables Qasim and Shaheed Irshad.

During the Sheikh Zayed Hospital visitg, the CM inspected the new cardiac centre at the SZH and thanked the UAE government for financing the project.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2023