Eleven police officers were martyred and seven were injured in an ambush by riverine dacoits in the Machka area of Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan on Thursday.
Bahawalpur Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rai Babar Saeed confirmed to Dawn.com that 11 personnel were martyred and seven were injured in the attack.
A statement from the Punjab police said that two police vans were on their way back from weekly duties in Rahim Yar Khan’s riverine Machaka area when one of them developed some malfunction, after which there were sudden rocket attacks.
It added that the Rahim Yar Khan district police officer was present on the spot while Punjab Inspector General of Police (IG) Dr Usman Anwar took notice of the incident, sought a report from the Bahawalpur RPO and left for the location with several other senior police officials in tow.
The injured were moved for treatment as the Punjab police chief ordered that the best treatment facilities be provided to them.
Condemning the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz vowed that it would not go “unavenged”.
She said her team of officials was dispatched with “clear directions to sort them out decisively”.
“Sacrifices of police personnel will always be remembered,” she said and directed the authorities concerned to take immediate action to recover missing policemen.
CM Maryam also sought an immediate report from IG Anwar on the matter.
President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack and extended his condolences to the families of the martyred police officers.
The president emphasised the need for strict action against criminals in the riverine area and warned that attacks on personnel of police and law enforcement agencies would not be tolerated.
“The gruesome attack on Punjab police in riverine area is not only condemned as minister of interior but also as a patriotic Pakistani. The attack, which has resulted in a heavy loss of life, shows the unwavering commitment of the police force to fight with such a menace,” said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Earlier this month, three policemen were killed by riverine dacoits in an attack on a police check post at the river Indus protective spur near Bhong.
After the attack, a police party began chasing the dacoits, and after an exchange of heavy firing, the police claimed to have recovered a body from a field, which was later identified as Samundar Indhar, a member of the notorious Indhar gang of dacoits.
Last month, a police official was martyred while four dacoits were killed by the Punjab police during an operation in the Machka area.
A statement from the Rahimyar Khan police spokesperson said that Machaka Station House Officer Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ramzan died from a heart attack during the operation while four dacoits of the Shar gang were gunned down.
Additional reporting by Nadir Guramani.
