DERA GHAZI KHAN, Feb 25: Over four dozen members of notorious robbers’ gangs surrendered to Rajanpur police along with their weapons.

The surrender took place on Sunday in Bangla Iccha along the Indus in the presence of Rajanpur district police officer Maqsoodul Hassan and a large number of people.

The outlaws, 55 in number, said they had decided to get rid of the “dirty politics” of their tribal chiefs. They said their change of heart was the result of Tableeghi Jamaat preaching and they wanted to spend the rest of their lives as responsible people.

They also surrendered 25 klashnikovs, four rifles, two rocket launchers, and ammunition.

The people of Rajanpur district have been facing worse law and order situation since 1994 when the Bugti-Mazari feud erupted over a land dispute as there is no official demarcation of the provincial boundary between Rajanpur district and Bugti area in Balochistan. Due to this reason, both tribes fought with each other for many years.

The situation left the Mazari tribe in a war-like situation, forcing it to acquire heavy weapons. The abundance of weapons also gave rise to criminal activities among the tribesmen.

The 200-km-long and 10 to 30 kms wide stretch of Indus between the districts of Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan on the east and DG Khan and Rajapur on the west has been their safe heaven since it comprised forests.

Similarly, Suleman Range in west of Rajanpur remained the hideout of Bugti outlaws whose main target was the Indus Highway and gas pipelines.

Those who surrendered said that two Mazaris sardars had ruined their lives. They thanked local Tableeghi Jamaat members for changing their lives.