The death toll from Pakistan’s deadliest bandit attack on police has risen to 12, following the death of a wounded officer in a hospital in Punjab’s eastern province. The attack occurred on Thursday and involved gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, leaving eight officers injured. It took place in the Kacha area of Rahim Yar Khan district, notorious for its bandit hideouts along the Indus River.
Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar reported that authorities have killed a bandit leader, Bashir Shar, believed to be behind the attack, and injured five others during ongoing efforts to capture the gang. Anwar assured that the operation would persist until all bandits in the province are eliminated.
Funerals for the deceased officers will be attended by senior police and government officials later today.
Banditry remains a serious issue in Punjab and other regions, with some areas so dangerous that travel after dark is avoided. Despite efforts to clear these “no-go areas,” incidents like these highlight ongoing security challenges.
Abdullah Khan, a senior defense analyst and managing director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies in Islamabad, noted that the bandits were heavily armed with weapons smuggled from Afghanistan, including guns, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, and pistols.
The attack occurred when one of the police vehicles broke down while navigating flooded fields, a consequence of recent monsoon rains.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, expressing sorrow and honoring the fallen officers as martyrs.
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The recent escalation in violence in Pakistan, primarily attributed to militants, has been marked by this unprecedented number of police casualties in a single attack. Despite the severity of the situation, police officials have stated that such attacks will not diminish their resolve.
