F.P. Report
LAHORE: The federal cabinet on Saturday gave its assent for the deployment of Army troops in the ongoing anti-bandit operation in the Punjab riverbed (katcha area).
The cabinet approved the summary sent by the interior ministry through circulation.
Sources informed that the Army will also take part in the ongoing operation against the hardened criminals taking shelter in the katcha area of Punjab.
They said that the Punjab government requested the federal government for the deployment of Army troops in the operation.
The Punjab government not only asked for extension in Army personnel deployment till April 24 but also requested to extend the deployment further till May 5.
The extension request for Army deployment will be granted, keeping in view the current situation of the operation.
Sources said that Army troops, vehicles and other paraphernalia will also be needed for the operation.
According to the Punjab government, the bandits in the Katcha area are armed with highly sophisticated weapons.
Punjab police launched a ‘grand operation’ against robbers and kidnappers in the katcha area of the Indus near the Sindh border on April 10.
Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar at a presser at the DPO office here said an intelligence-based operation against the outlaws was already in progress for the last few months after kidnap-for-ransom cases increased this year.
“However, a grand operation has been launched in the early hours of Sunday on the reports of a premiere intelligence agency of the country and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab,” he added.
The katcha area which stretches up to Dehrki and Obaro in Sindh is over 100km long.
