RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) from the Guddu interchange to Rohri has become very dangerous for the motorists with rising incidents of attacks by the bandit gangs, raising concerns among the road users about their safety.

On Feb 27, a gang carried out an armed attack near Ghotki on a doctor’s car who was travelling from Karachi to Multan on the M-5.

According to Aqsa Asad Khan, she with her husband Dr Asad Iqbal, mother-in-law and three children departed for Multan from Karachi on Feb 27 in their car. Their car entered the M-5 from Rohri after 11pm. When they reached near Ghotki, she was asleep but suddenly woke up due to the armed attack on their car. Due to the firing of the dacoits, the front tyres of their car burst. The robbers’ gang continued firing on the vehicle in which Aqsa received a minor bullet injury. When they felt that their car could not move further, the family, including kids, left it on the road and ran away towards the other side, across the motorway. Aqsa added that they were continuously running along the motorway and waving to the motorists for help but no one stopped to help them.

When they called the police helpline, the patrol reached after eight minutes and took them to the nearby rest area. Meanwhile, the personnel of the National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP), Sindh police and Rangers also arrived there. Aqsa told them that her family wanted to go to their home in Multan and a DSP of Sindh police hired a car for them to facilitate their travel.

This is not the only incident on this section of the M-5 where the bandits’ attack happened. Ghotki Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Anwar Khetran, in a recent press conference, had said the incidents of kidnapping were on the rise and a couple of kidnapping incidents happened during the last one-and-a-half months on the M-5 and the National Highway. He said a truck driver was also kidnapped and incidents of firing on different vehicles were also reported.

According to some reports, Rahib Shar Gang and Morio Shar Gang are active in the area. About 12 members of these gangs are carrying out criminal activities while in some activities in the Ghotki area, Ameer Ahmed Jagirani Gang and Bhayo Gang were also involved. At some points, the gangs carry out their criminal activities impersonating policemen.

M-5 Zonal Commander DIG Shahid Javed told Dawn that controlling crime along the motorway and on it was the responsibility of police of the province and district concerned.

“The NH&MP only controls the traffic and facilitates the motorists regarding traffic rules and laws.” However, he added, the NH&MP was in contact with the Pakistan Rangers and Punjab as well as Sindh police about the criminal activities. He said the motorway police had increased the number of pickets up to 34, including those in the Katcha area in Ghotki and Sukkur where there was a picket every 1,000 meters now. Additionally, seven to eight police vehicles patrolled the areas of the M-5where crime rate was high, Mr Javed added.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2024