HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government is committed to eliminate dacoits’ gangs operating in the riverine area of upper Sindh.

Speaking to the media at the residence of local PPP leader Dr Irfan Gul Magsi here on Friday, Mr Shah said talks with the federal government were under way on the issue of using military-grade weapons in the ongoing massive anti-dacoit operation in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan.

He explained that federal government’s consent was required to buy military-grade weapons as the riverine area involved Balochistan and Punjab provinces as well. “But the [federal] authorities told the Sindh government that use of such weapons may lead to collateral damage,” he said, adding: “We told them that the Sindh government can pay them for use of such weapons and that they should also join in the operation”.

The CM, who had earlier expressed his concern over the gangs having more sophisticated weapons than police have, again called for measures to stop such “supplies”. “No such weapon factory exists in Sindh,” he argued.

He said police were setting up pickets at a distance of 200 to 300 metres and that’s why dacoits were intensifying their activities. He admitted that the factor of human resource constraint was also there.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2023