SUKKUR, Nov 25: The Inspector General of Police Sindh, Syed Kamal Shah, along with Home Secretary Sindh, Brig.(Retd) Mukhtiar, DIG Sukkur and Larkana Divisions, besides the SSPs of the two divisions discussed the strategy to launch the proposed operation against the dacoits.

The operation is being planned keeping in view the directives of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf who had assured the District Nazims from the Interior Sindh of an operation against the dacoits in the four key districts of upper Sindh.

Talking to Dawn, sources said a thorough operation strategy was being prepared, and if needed the Army help would also be sought.

This correspondent tried to contact the senior officials of the police including the IGP Sindh but no one was ready to disclose the proceedings of the meeting.

According to sources, the IG Sindh stressed the need of strict security on the border of Sindh and Balochistan and Punjab and ordered to establish extra check posts so that the inter-provincial movement of the criminals could be checked.

The role of the elected Nazims of the interior Sindh was also discussed in detail and it was stressed that the Nazims should prove their worth and must not intervene in the investigation process of the police.

Earlier, talking to a group of journalists the IG disclosed that 30,000 applications were received for the 4000 ASI posts in Sindh and said that the appointment would be made purely on merit basis.

The Sindh government was trying to stop kidnapping and the terrorism on the border areas and the security on the borders of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab being tightened.

He said the police officials who participated in the encounter with dacoits on Saturday in Sukkur, in which three dacoits were killed, would be promoted.