The death toll from Pakistan's deadliest bandit attack on police climbed to 12 after one of the injured officers succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Punjab, officials reported on Friday. The attack, which occurred on Thursday in the Kacha area of Rahim Yar Khan district, left eight other officers wounded. The region is notorious for its bandit hideouts along the Indus River, where heavily armed gangs often evade law enforcement.
Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar confirmed that police forces killed Bashir Shar, a notorious bandit leader believed to be behind the attack, and injured five other suspects as the operation against the gang continues. Anwar stated that the operation would persist until every bandit in the province is eliminated.
Attack details and responses
The bandits launched their assault using guns and rocket-propelled grenades after ambushing police officers whose vehicle had broken down in a flooded farm field. The attackers took advantage of the darkness to carry out their deadly mission. This unprecedented attack was condemned by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who expressed sorrow and honoured the slain officers as martyrs.
Senior police and government officials are expected to attend the funerals of the fallen officers later on Friday.
Context and broader implications
The Kacha area, along with other parts of Punjab, has long been plagued by banditry. Bandits frequently rob travellers on highways, and some regions are so dangerous that locals avoid traveling after dark. Despite efforts by police to clear these “no-go areas,” the threat remains significant.
Abdullah Khan, a senior defense analyst, highlighted that the bandits are equipped with sophisticated weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and handguns, smuggled from Afghanistan in recent years. The attack underscores the ongoing security challenges in Pakistan, where violence, often attributed to militants, has surged in recent years. However, the scale of this attack on police officers is particularly alarming and marks a grim escalation in the region's violence.
High-level response and condemnation
The attack occurred in the presence of the Rahim Yar Khan district police officer, and Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar quickly took notice, requesting a report and heading to the location with senior officials. The incident has drawn strong condemnation from Pakistan's leadership.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack and ordered immediate action against the bandits responsible. Former President Asif Ali Zardari and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also condemned the assault, with Nawaz vowing that the attack would not go "unavenged" and that decisive action would be taken against the perpetrators.
Context of rising violence
Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks, but such a high number of police casualties in a single incident is rare. Security forces frequently carry out operations against bandits in the rural and forested areas of eastern Punjab and southern Sindh provinces. This attack, one of the deadliest on police in recent years, has sparked nationwide outrage and calls for stronger measures against criminals in the region.
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