Bandits kidnap seven policemen in Rahim Yar Khan

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Over three dozen armed robbers attacked a police checkpost on Sunday, abducting seven policemen and taking them across the river with them, police said.

The incident happened in Sadiqabad area, where a strong police contingent backed by armoured personnel carriers was called in to mount an operation against the bandits and to rescue the seven policemen.

“Around 40 dacoits attacked the checkpost and kidnapped seven police officials,” said district police chief Sohail Zafar Chattha.

The kidnapped policemen, which included an assistant sub-inspector, were identified as Mumtaz, Arif Shah, Muhammad Asif, Ziaur Rehman and Muhamad Tahir.

According to sources, the bandits have contacted police and demanded the release of their arrested accomplices and an end to an operation in the ‘kachcha’ areas.

Police officials said they will not accept the criminal’s demands and will continue their operation against them.

Chattha said law enforcement agencies had driven bandits out of the area a few years ago but they started operating again recently, shuttling between the area and the border towns of neighbouring Sindh province.




Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and ordered authorities to make efforts to rescue and recover the kidnapped police personnel as soon as possible.

Bandits have been active in the border areas of Sindh and Punjab provinces for decades.

The military launched a full-scale operation against them in Sindh in the early 1990s but they resurfaced after successive failures to maintain law and order in the area.