SUKKUR: Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has said that establishing peace in the riverine areas and maintaining peace across the province is the foremost priority of the provincial government.

“Full support has been extended to the intelligence agencies, Rangers and police in the riverine areas to neutralise dacoit gangs,” he said while addressing the concluding ceremony of the three-day Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Sports Festival held in the Rawanti area of Ubaro taluka in Ghotki district.

The ceremony was attended by IGP Javed Alam Odho, Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Ahmed, SSP Mohammad Anwar Khetran, Rangers Wing Commander Farhan Ali and District Sports Officer Nisar Ahmed Chandio, besides officers from various departments and a large number of local residents.

Mr Lanjar told the audience that the people living in the riverine areas were close to his heart, but action was being taken against criminals and oppressors. The minister recalled that President Asif Ali Zardari had convened a meeting in Sukkur to take all stakeholders into confidence before initiating the ‘surrender policy’ to encourage criminals to lay down their arms and give up their criminal activities.

Although the policy was criticised, it resulted in complete peace in the areas like Rawanti, he said.

He thanked chairperson of Sindh Assembly’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs Faryal Talpur, and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for continuously encouraging the Sindh police and providing the department with the essential facilities.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026