LAHORE - Over 100 facilitators of terrorists have been arrested from the South Punjab, a provincial govt official confirmed to The Nation yesterday.
Police and paramilitary troops launched a full-scale security sweep against criminals and militants hiding in the riverine area of Rajanpur district five days ago.

A police official yesterday told this reporter that the police and security forces were facing stiff resistance from dozens of militants, who are equipped with sophisticated weapons.

“The operation has been intensified with more troops reaching Rajanpur district to join the final push against the gangsters and terrorists,” the official said. He said that no timeframe could be given at this stage and this operation will continue till the arrest of the last criminal.

According to a police spokeswoman, hundreds of personnel of the Punjab Rangers and Counter-Terrorism Department are taking part in the joint operation apart from the police commandoes.

“A joint operation is being carried out very successfully in the “Kacha” area of Tehsil Rojhan district Rajanpur against the terrorists and criminal gangs.”

“As many as 1600 police officials including Elite Force, CTD commandos and Punjab Rangers are participating in this joint operation. During the last five days, about 100 facilitators of terrorists have been rounded up by the police,” the Central Police Office said in a Press statement yesterday.

At least four “terrorists” were also arrested with bullet injuries during the operation, says an official handout issued from the CPO. However, the police and security officials remained unhurt.

The terrorists are equipped with sophisticated weapons but the police commandoes were giving them tough time, a police officer said.

Police cordoned off the entire area of “Kacha” including the areas bordering the Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Hundreds of temporary check-points are set up for monitoring the movement of the suspected militants.

Similarly, the adjacent river ways have also been cordoned off to restrict the movement of suspected elements.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera yesterday said that the operation would continue till the end of last terrorist and criminal gang.

Hundreds of police commandoes and paramilitary troops are involved in one of the largest security operations launched in the riverine area early this month.

Following the Lahore blast, police and security forces were directed to launch operation in the Southern Punjab to clear the complicated terrain from militants, criminals and their facilitators.

On March 27, Lahore witnessed the highest casualties in a single suicide blast in many years. The bomber had hit as many as 405 people mostly children. The suicide blast in Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal had left 75 persons dead and over 333 wounded.

A police officer said that hundreds of suspects were also arrested for having links with banned outfits during search operations underway across the province.

Official sources state that the provincial government has been supervising the security operations while the police commandoes are also being assisted by Elite Force and the Punjab Rangers.