Pakistan police kill two bandits linked to officers' deaths in Punjab riverine operation

Police in Pakistan’s Punjab province killed two wanted bandits, including one involved in the deaths of 12 policemen last year, in an operation in Rahim Yar Khan’s Katcha region, officials said on Sunday.

A Punjab police spokesperson identified one of the slain suspects as Hakim Kosh, who was killed in an exchange of fire. Another suspect, Shah Mir Kosh, was also shot dead.

Gunfights erupted again between security forces and the gang, the spokesperson said. Police later set fire to the criminals’ hideouts.

The operation in Katcha Machka was launched to eliminate suspects behind the ambush that killed 12 police officers last year. Punjab police reiterated their commitment to ending criminal activity in the region.

Rahim Yar Khan District Police Officer Rizwan Umar Gondal said law enforcement was determined to bring criminals to justice. “We will bring the petty criminals and terrorists to their end,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

Punjab Inspector General Dr. Usman Anwar praised the operation, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif congratulated the police and extended her support for further action against criminal networks.

Katcha’s riverine areas, spanning Punjab and Sindh, have long been strongholds for criminal gangs engaged in kidnappings and extortion. Despite past military operations, these groups have continued to resurface.

The Sindh police and Pakistan Rangers intensified their efforts against bandits last year, following a spate of violent incidents in the region.