The biggest achievement of the Crime Control Department (CCD) so far is under the leadership of District Police Officer Rahim Yar Khan, Irfan Samoon. The reign of dacoits in Punjab’s Katcha area has ended.
- The author is a decorated war veteran who fought the historic Battle of Hilli in former East Pakistan and recovered the body of Maj Akram Shaheed (NH). A graduate of Command & Staff and War Courses with an MSc in War Studies, he served as Defence Attaché in Egypt and Sudan, later becoming Dean of the Corps of Military Attachés in Cairo. Formerly the Army’s spokesperson (1992) and Honorary Colonel of his battalion, he is now a renowned defence, security, and geopolitical analyst, author of five books, Patron-in-Chief of CDS Think Tank, Director of Meesakh Research Centre, and a regular participant in national TV talk shows.
- *The views and opinions expressed herein, and any references, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Centre for Development and Stability (CDS).
Pakistani flags have been hoisted at the dacoits’ former hideouts and checkpoints.
Slogans of ‘Long live CCD’ now echo across Katcha, while farmers, distressed and fed up with the cruelty of the dacoits, are raising their hands in prayer for Irfan Samoon and the Crime Control Department (CCD) personnel.
It may be noted that for the past few weeks an operation was underway in Katcha under a new plan.
On the one hand, the dacoits were offered the option to surrender, while on the other hand their hideouts were traced and targeted using modern technology and drones.
When the dacoits saw death looming over them and watched every one of their hideouts being exposed through drones, their morale collapsed.
Adding to this was the direct involvement of the Crime Control Department in the operation.
The dacoits were left with only two options: Surrender or face a humiliating death at the hands of the Crime Control Department.
Over the past two weeks, more than 350 dacoits surrendered before Irfan Samoon and the Superintendent of Police Kashmore, including a dozen notorious criminals and their accomplices carrying bounties worth millions and hundreds of thousands of rupees.
It is hoped that the ongoing operation in the Katcha area of Sindh will also soon conclude successfully.
Equally outstanding results are achieved by the security forces against the foreign supported terrorists in Balochistan and their space for operations is shrinking very fast. Intimate cooperation of the Baluchistan Government and the patriotic people of the province are facilitating the intelligence based operations.
These successes against the anti-Pakistan elements should be a matter of introspection for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Government, which is unfortunately not in sync with the Federal Government and the army, and is creating hurdles in the way of counterterrorism.
May Allah be the helper and protector of our forces.
