# Operation Shikarpur

Operation Shikarpur (Sindhi: آپریشن شڪارپور) (Urdu: آپریشن شکارپور) is an ongoing law enforcement initiative aimed at tackling local criminals in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Focusing primarily on the Kacha area in Shikarpur District, the operation seeks to apprehend robbers and other lawbreakers, ensuring a safer environment for the local population.

## Overview

The police have urged residents to temporarily evacuate mosques in order to facilitate unhindered action against criminals. This precautionary measure aims to prevent any hindrance to the ongoing operation, which is also being carried out in the Sukkur and Kashmore districts of North Sindh. Tragically, during a confrontation with robbers, two policemen and a police assistant lost their lives when their armored vehicle came under heavy weapons fire.
In a significant development, the police apprehended Tegho Khan Teghani, a prominent figure from the Teghani tribe, in Karachi. Teghani was subsequently remanded into police custody by the court. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shikarpur, Tanveer Tanio, explained that due to the inevitable displacement of residents following floods in the Kacha region, the police sought their cooperation in the operation. Tanio emphasized that individuals found remaining in the area and engaging in hostile acts towards the police would be considered accomplices or partners of the criminals.
The decision to initiate the operation in the Kacha area followed an attack on a police party, resulting in three fatalities, including two policemen. The SSP Shikarpur highlighted that two prevalent types of crimes in the district involve abductions along national highways, with victims being taken to Kacha, as well as cattle theft within the Kacha region. The police have arrested two individuals who were involved in abducting people from the area and are utilizing their assistance to track down the gangs responsible for ransom kidnappings.
To enhance operational effectiveness, police outposts have been established in areas such as Garhi Tegho and Chak, which are prone to incidents. Furthermore, base camps are being set up to provide immediate response capabilities and reduce response time. The police have acquired state-of-the-art armored vehicles that are resistant to anti-aircraft guns and heavy weapons like rockets. Additionally, drone cameras are being deployed to monitor the movements of criminals, and snipers are on standby. The operation will progress further after establishing these base camps and gaining control over the challenging terrain.
According to SSP Sukkur Irfan Sammo that police had set up more than 25 outposts in Kacha and had gained access near the Indus River to prevent the accused from fleeing from Shikarpur. Supply should be stopped. He said that in addition to the locals in the Panu Aqil Kacha, strict measures have been taken to ensure that the supply is suspended and no one else can leave. In addition, white-clad accomplices of the robbers are being monitored in the paved areas. Kashmore district of Sindh is a border area of Punjab and in the past, dacoits from Punjab have been taking refuge in Punjab by conducting operations in Sindh and Sindh. According to SSP Kashmore Amjad Sheikh the operation was already underway in Kashmore from Shikarpur in which the hideouts of the dacoits were set on fire and the police were advancing on a daily basis. There is also an exchange of fire on the ground. He said that there are obstacles in the way of forests and bushes along the way which are being removed while the Kacha area adjacent to Shikarpur Kacha is also being monitored.

## Kacha Region

The Forest Department has millions of acres of land in the Kacha area on both sides of the Indus River, of which a large area is occupied, according to the department. Many large landowners have thousands of acres of raw land called Katie in the local language. Many of these big landowners are also active in politics. The Kacha area remains dry for most of the year but is flooded during the flood season. The land here is considered to be the most fertile due to the presence of river minerals. The Sindh Disaster Management Department estimates that there are more than one million people living here, who are involved in livestock farming and agriculture. On one side of the river is Kashmore district and on the other side is Ghotki district. The Kacha area of the Indus River is also in many districts of central and southern Sindh, but Kashmore, Ghotki, Shikapur and Jacobabad are the districts where dacoits are active and tribal conflicts are also intense in these districts. Forests, bushes and rough terrain make it easier for robbers to carry out their operations in secret and seek refuge here. Sukkur journalist and analyst Jan Mohammad Mehr says that the Sukkur region includes eight districts of northern Sindh and the law and order situation here was very bad and more than 150 people have been abducted in the last one and a half years. According to Jan Mohammad Mehr, when the dacoits made and shared social media videos, challenged the police and killed policemen in Shikarpur, then there was severe criticism on which the Prime Minister also took notice and Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Karachi. Arrived, where he met with DG Rangers. Besides, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah came to Shikarpur and thus it was decided to intensify the operation.