Pakistan: Increasing crimes expose law and order situation in Katcha area

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 3 : The series of crimes including kidnappings have contradicted all the claims made by the police that everything is fine in the Katcha area in Pakistan's Punjab.

Also, continuous threats by some gangs of doing more strikes and the video message of an elite police force staffer complaining about poor arrangements, have put a question mark on police's claims.

In an incident, a Hindu person named Ashok, and a cabbie named Altaf Solangi, were kidnapped from Rahimabad area of the Bhong police station a day before Eid.

Their families alleged that they received threatening calls from gangsters demanding 2 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR) each for their safe return. However, both of them have still not been released yet.

Shahid Lund Baloch, the ringleader of Lund Gang operating in the katcha area, last week threatened targeting commuters on the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) if the women of their tribes were not released, Dawn reported.

Baloch has alleged that the Hindu trader and the taxi driver were picked up by an "unknown gang" but police arrested women and children of Lund, Banu, Jankani, Nanglani and Otera tribes and also drove away with their livestock, Dawn reported.

Later on July 2, Baloch thanked Pakistan police for releasing their families. He had also claimed last week that all all tribal conflicts had been resolved almost six weeks ago through a 'Jirga'.

According to him, it was decided that Baloch would pay an amount of 17.5 million PKR and in return all FIRs against him and his accomplices would be quashed.

"From now on, we want to live a peaceful life," Dawn quoted him as saying.

In a separate incident, two different gangs of the katcha area released videos on Eid wherein five members of the Sukhani gang were seen at an unidentified location with their commander Tariq Sukhani.

In the second video clip, dacoits of Bhuta gang were seen busy in firing.

Elite Force member Irfan Joiya, alleged in a TikTok video, that there was no police operation going on in the area and the station house officer of the regionwas mistreating them, Dawn reported.

He claimed there were no proper arrangements of delivering meals to them and also the bunkers they used to fire at criminals, were without any roof and water.

Wains said that Irfan Joiya belonged to Bahawalnagar district and wanted to leave the operation. He said the policeman had been suspended and an inquiry against him had been ordered, Dawn reported.

Dawn also cited a senior local journalist who quoted a 22-year-old M Atif of Attok, who after being released by a gang said "the gangsters were very well connected in the country through technology to lure their victims".