SUKKUR: Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar on Wednesday announced a “massive” crackdown against criminal gangs operating in the province’s Katcha regions.
Talking to the media in Sukkur, Lanjar said a meeting had taken place during which it was decided that “we are definitely heading towards a massive operation”.
“We will use whatever resources we have, with specific targets and take ruthless action against the infamous dacoits that you see on social media,” he said.
When asked about the timeline for launching the operation against riverine dacoits, the minister responded, “You may consider that the operation has begun from today”.
He said the outlaws would be “given a chance” to surrender before courts, but warned that “the absconders or criminals who consider themselves big champions, strict action will be taken against them, there will be a fight, and they will get their just deserts”.
Under the Surrender Policy for Dacoits in the Katcha areas of Sukkur and Larkana divisions approved by the Sindh cabinet in October 2025 surrender does not amount to a pardon or immunity.
Officials told Dawn that all individuals who surrender will still be dealt with under the existing laws, although voluntary surrender could be treated as a mitigating factor by courts during sentencing.
The home minister also praised the Punjab government for its cooperation in a recent “successful” operation that cleared a previously inaccessible Katcha area.
Addressing a question on whether military assistance would be sought, Lanjar said, “The Sindh police is capable and the Rangers are with us in this, so I do not think we will need the army in our internal matters here.“
He added that personnel would be equipped with modern resources required for the operation.
When questioned about reports that dacoits were using drones, Lanjar responded, “I do not think drones have reached them. Action is definitely being taken against their facilitators, too.”
On the possibility of a coordinated operation between Sindh and Punjab police, he said he had instructed the Sindh inspector general to contact his counterpart in Punjab as well as the Bahawalpur regional police officer.
“This will surely happen only after a joint effort,” he said, pointing out that the Machka area extends into Punjab. “I have strong hopes that we will wipe out these dacoits,” Lanjar added.
Responding to a question about tribal feuds, the minister said the issue was also discussed during the meeting and that contacts had been made regarding the Jatoi-Mahar dispute.
Although Katcha regions span several districts in central and southern Sindh, areas such as Kashmore, Ghotki, Shikarpur and Jacobabad are especially known for crimes including dacoity, kidnapping for ransom and tribal violence.
On December 16, about 25 dacoits attacked a bus near the Sindh-Punjab border, injuring the driver and abducting 20 passengers. All those kidnapped were recovered unharmed the following day during a large-scale police operation.
Similarly, when the Tanvir Indhar gang abducted at least 10 people from multiple vehicles on the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) in Sadiqabad tehsil on September 5, 2025, it marked the first known instance of Katcha gangs operating directly on the motorway within Punjab’s territory.
Following that incident, police in Rahim Yar Khan introduced escorted night convoys on the M-5 to safeguard travelers from dacoit attacks.
Both the Sindh and Punjab governments had pledged decisive action against Katcha criminals in August 2024, after more than a dozen policemen were martyred in a deadly assault by dacoits in the Machka area.
