ISLAMABAD: The Sindh administration announced on Wednesday it was launching a “massive operation” against the infamous dacoits operating in the marshy area along the Indus River, which has long been a sanctuary to heavily armed criminal gangs involved in kidnappings, extortion and violent assaults on travelers and law enforcement.
The riverine belt, known as the Katcha, has dense vegetation and rugged terrain that spans parts of northern Sindh and southern Punjab. The area has been home to gangs that kidnap truckers and commuters for ransom, using the difficult terrain to evade capture.
Authorities have periodically launched operations and joint crackdowns with Punjab police and Rangers to reclaim the territory and establish their writ, but the outlaw presence has persisted.
Speaking in Sukkur to a group of journalists, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar said the crackdown this time would be resolute.
“We are going toward a massive operation,” he said. “Whatever resources we have, we are going to use them.”
