KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in a bid to strictly maintain peace and security in the katcha (riverine) areas, has decided to strengthen and expedite the ongoing operation against dacoits in the Larkana and Sukkur divisions.

He said this while presiding over a high-level meeting attended by Corps Commander Lieutenant General Owais Dastgir, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, Interior Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjhar, DG Rangers Major General Muhammad Shamreez, Secretary Interior Iqbal Memon, IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, Additional IGs of CTD and Special Branch, along with representatives of other security agencies.

The chief minister said the provincial government had adopted a clear policy of offensive strategy in combating crime in katcha areas. The police have been instructed to confront the dacoits, force their surrender, and disarm them, he added.

The meeting was informed that the operation in katcha areas of Larkana and Sukkur divisions, launched in 2024, was intensified from October 2024 through the use of modern technology. So far, 729 intelligence-based targeted operations and 261 search and sweep operations have been conducted.

It was also informed that the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) faced challenges due to inaccessibility, but the use of advanced technology by police and Rangers helped overcome these hurdles and facilitated encounters with dacoits. The Sindh Police, in close coordination with Rangers and intelligence agencies, established fortified bases step by step, dismantling and destroying known hideouts and dens of facilitators.

From January 2024 to August 15, 149 dacoits were neutralised, including 10 each in Sukkur and Ghotki, 40 in Kashmore and 89 in Shikarpur. Police also arrested 582 dacoits, comprising 41 in Sukkur, 33 in Ghotki, 186 in Kashmore and 322 in Shikarpur.

The chief minister stressed that peace and security in the katcha belt must be maintained at all costs. He warned that kidnapping for ransom would not be tolerated and reiterated the government’s resolve to decisively eliminate dacoits from the region.

Since 2024, joint operations by police and Rangers have been under way, and the chief minister directed that they be intensified with full vigour.

To aid the crackdown, internet services in the katcha regions will be suspended for an extended period, while all social media accounts used by dacoits will be blocked. Locations of mobile towers to be shut down were identified and shared during the meeting.

The chief minister commended the police, Rangers and other agencies for their performance and assured that dacoits surrendering their arms would be dealt with leniently.

A high-level monitoring committee headed by the interior minister, and comprising the secretary home, DG Rangers, IG Police and other officials, was formed to oversee the progress of the operation. Another committee was constituted to ensure effective implementation of the decisions taken.

The chief minister also decided to keep the Punjab government informed and involved in the operations.

The meeting agreed that development works would be initiated in the katcha areas, including the construction of a road network and provision of education and health facilities to uplift local communities. The chief minister emphasised that peaceful residents also deserve protection, and that safeguarding lives and property would remain a priority.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025