Speaking to journalists in Sukkur, the home minister said that a high-level meeting had decided to move forward with a large-scale operation. “All available resources will be utilized, clear targets have been set, and ruthless action will be taken against notorious bandits who have gained prominence on social media,” he said.
Responding to a question regarding the timing of the operation in riverine areas, Lanjar said the operation should be considered as having started from today.
He added that bandits would be given the opportunity to surrender before courts, but fugitives and those considering themselves powerful would face strict action. “There will be encounters, and criminals will be punished for their actions,” he warned.
The Sindh home minister also praised the Punjab government for its cooperation, saying that with Punjab’s support, a recent successful operation cleared a no-go area in the Katcha region.
When asked about seeking military assistance, Lanjar said Sindh Police is capable of handling the situation and that Rangers are already participating in the operation. There is no need for the army in internal matters, he said.
It is worth noting that the Katcha belt stretches across several districts of central and southern Sindh, with areas such as Kashmore, Ghotki, Shikarpur, and Jacobabad notorious for crimes including dacoity, kidnapping for ransom, and tribal conflicts.
Lanjar said that police personnel would be provided with modern equipment. Responding to a journalist’s claim that bandits use drones, he said he did not believe drones had reached those areas yet, but confirmed that facilitators of criminals were also being targeted.
Regarding the possibility of a joint Sindh Punjab police operation, the home minister said he had directed the Sindh Inspector General to coordinate with his Punjab counterpart and the Regional Police Officer of Bahawalpur. He emphasized that joint efforts are essential as the Machka area extends into Punjab. I am fully confident that these bandits will be completely eliminated, Lanjar said.
On tribal disputes, he said the issue was also discussed in the meeting, and contacts had been established regarding clashes between the Jatoi and Mehr tribes.
It may be recalled that on December 16, 2025, around 25 bandits attacked a bus near the Sindh Punjab border, injuring the driver and abducting 20 passengers. All hostages were safely recovered the next day during a major police operation.
Earlier, on September 5, 2025, an incident on the Sukkur–Multan Motorway (M-5) in Sadiqabad tehsil, where at least 10 people were abducted by the Tanveer Andhar gang, marked the first reported case of Katcha bandits directly reaching Punjab’s motorway network.
Following the incident, police in Rahim Yar Khan began escorting traffic in convoys on the M-5 motorway during nighttime for security reasons.
Both Sindh and Punjab governments had pledged decisive action against Katcha bandits in August 2024, after a deadly attack in the Machka area in which a dozen police personnel were martyred.
