Why is efficient operation difficult in a wasteland spread over millions of acres?

The millions of acres of raw land on the border of three provinces of Pakistan has been a no-go area for law enforcement agencies and the public for four decades.

Punjab The southern areas of Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad and Rajanpur, while Sindh In the northern cities of Shikarpur, Ghotki and Kashmore, the areas around the Indus River are the haunts of these dacoits. The boundaries of Balochistan also begin in this area.

According to the records of the government departments, the areas within the protective embankments placed on the river courses since the British period were known as ‘Kache ka area’.

These are the areas where the water comes out when the water level in the rivers rises and the local people grow seasonal crops here. Several lakh acres (spreading over 300-400 km) are owned by the Forest and Revenue Departments.

Since the 80s, dangerous dacoits have ruled the Kachaka areas on both sides of the Indus River.

Criminals also use the raw areas along the Ravi and Chenab rivers in Punjab to hide. But organized involved in serious incidents Robberwho are also advertising, are camped in the rough on the banks of the Indus River.

There have been intermittent operations in these areas, but the bandits could not be completely eradicated.

A year and a half ago, Sindh and Punjab police started a joint operation in these areas, which is still ongoing.

Despite the armed operation of the law enforcement agencies, the incidents of bandits hiding in the slums are also continuing. Reports of incidents have also been received on GT Road and Multan Sukkur Motorway which often pass through here.

Additional IG Punjab Police Kamran Khan said that the dacoits in Kache will be brought to justice. Despite the attack, the operation continues and one robber has been killed in the retaliatory action, while several others have been injured.

“The sacrifices our young men have made will not go in vain. This is the third incident of attack on police officers in this month.

The Additional IG further said that they will plan a joint operation against the robbers, in which the help of Punjab and Sindh police will also be taken from other forces. These days the water rises in the river, robbers took advantage of the harvest and attacked the police.

Where do robbers get modern weapons from?

Senior police officer Irfan Samu has been working in northern Sindh for several years, apart from taking part in operations against the notorious dacoits ‘Chhoto Gang’ many times during his duties in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab.

While talking to Independent Urdu, he said that in Kache, the dacoits have modern weapons like RR 75, mortar shells, 12.7 and 12.14 bore guns. While the police have G3 and SNG guns, which cannot be compared with the modern weapons that the robbers have.’

According to Irfan Samu: ‘The armored vehicles that the police had were of the B-six type, which were said to be used only for transporting people. These fighters were not armored vehicles. But later D7 type vehicle was ordered from Taxila. But safety is not possible even in these vehicles in front of the modern weapons of robbers.’

According to a 2005 study titled ‘Decade of Decoys’ by Professor Imdad Hussain Sohto of Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Kalashnikovs in Pakistan were first used by bandits in Sindh and later reached the police. After getting Kalashnikovs, the bandits became powerful and it became easier to commit crimes, while the bandits have also bought rocket launchers and other heavy weapons to fight the police and other forces.’

The research says that Sindh bandits used to buy modern weapons from Afghan refugees or smugglers, or from Balochistan Levies Force (tribal police) or corrupt Sindh police officers. Bandits pay more than the market rate for these weapons.’

Punjab Police is conducting an operation against dacoits in the Kacha area of ​​Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab Police).

In recent years, photos circulating on Facebook have shown that these bandits are armed with Kalashnikovs and other heavy weapons, besides rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, and other advanced weapons.

According to the research of Prof. Imdad Hussain Sohto, the decade from 1984 to 1994 was known as the ‘Decade of Bandits’ in Sindh. During this time, day-to-day looting and kidnapping for ransom were common.

Start of effective operation in raw

After the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16 December 2014, the Pakistan Army launched Operation Zarb Azab to eliminate terrorists in northern Pakistan. After that, in order to control the extortion, target killing and deteriorating law and order situation, apart from the Karachi operation, operations were also started against the dacoits in the districts of North Sindh and South Punjab.

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During these operations, Chhotu gang living in Rajanpur area of ​​South Punjab was arrested. 1600 personnel of Punjab Police participated in this operation but despite this the operation was unsuccessful, after which Pakistan Army was involved and helicopters were also used. As a result, several members of the Chhotu gang were killed while the surviving gang was captured.

Even after that, there were many operations against dacoits, many gangs were eliminated, but the bandit rule is still established.

Border roads, national highways and sub-roads connecting Sindh with Punjab and Balochistan are considered as their domain by Kacha bandits.

Before the advent of technology and the laying of new roads, the bandits used to ambush the same dirt roads and rob the travelers in the middle of the night. Some also used to commit kidnapping for ransom.

Then as the network grew, he started a side business of giving shelter to small and big criminals across the country and taking money in return.

The business of abducting people by making honey traps and extorting money also started from here. Honeytrap is a new trend. In recent years, the crude bandits have adopted a unique method of kidnapping for ransom, known as ‘honeytrap kidnapping’.

Speaking to Independent Urdu, Punjab Police SP Aftab Ahmad Phalrawan said that people are called by luring people with the help of modern technology in Kacha area and they are caught and demanded for ransom. That is why the Sindh and Punjab police have put up bridges on the roads leading to these areas to save the citizens going there from deception.