Addressing the Hyderabad Divisional Council meeting, the DIG said that “to liquidate the gangs of dacoits effectively, we are concentrating on forest area, which provides shelter to the dacoits”.

He said that the 80 miles long, thick forest from Hala to Sakrand served as a paradise for the dacoits, who also used to charge ransom from the forest contractors and extorted food from the cattle grazers.

Explaining the measures taken to curb the dacoits’ activities, the DIG said that permits of all cattle grazers had been cancelled and they have been directed to take out their cattle from the forest. He said that forest contractors and their labourers had been granted arms licences to protect themselves against the dacoits.

He further said that forest authorities have been advised to provide jeepable roads and tracks inside the forest area to enable access. The DIG said that severe action was being taken against Patharidars who were harbouring the dacoits. However, to solve the problem on a permanent basis, the DIG said that the Government had been approached to create a permanent police force for forest area. —Correspondent

Top priority for Islamabad plan

RAWALPINDI: The Islamabad Project, which is making extremely slow progress, will be accorded top priority in the next year’s Budget, it was learnt yesterday (Feb 12). In order to make adequate finances available for Islamabad, a cut may have to be made in respect of other departments.—Staff Correspondent