To eliminate criminals in Katcha areas: Punjab cabinet okays Rs210.4m to buy latest quadcopters

LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet has approved Rs210.4 million for the purchase of modern quadcopters equipped with mortar rounds for targeted operation after the target killing of police personnel by criminal elements in the Katcha area.

Sources told The News that 20 surveillance quadcopters and 7 mortar shell-equipped (payload) will be purchased with this amount for operations across Punjab. Sources said the payload quadcopters are capable of firing 80mm K2 mortar shells at a target at a time. Sources said that it is not possible to access the hideouts of criminals in the Katcha area. When the police conduct an operation in the areas where there are crops, during the fire it is difficult to detect whether the fire will hit criminal because civilians working in the fields can also become targets.

Sources said the hideouts of criminals will be first monitored by surveillance quadcopters in the Katcha area and they will be targeted by payload quadcopters.

Among the districts in Punjab that have been approved to purchase surveillance quadcopters are 2 for Attock, 4 for Mianwali, 2 for Bhakkar, 1 for Leh, 3 for DG Khan, 4 for Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan. Four surveillance quadcopters will also be purchased. Out of 7 payload quadcopters equipped with mortar shells, one each will be given to Mianwali and Leh, 3 to Rajanpur and 2 to Rahim Yar Khan.

When contacted, Home Secretary Punjab Nurul Amin Mengal said that Cabinet Committee on Law and Order under the leadership of Chairman Khawaja Salman Rafique will soon visit Mianwali, Khushab and DG Khan including Jil Katcha area. He said that according to the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, ample resources will be provided to the police against the criminal elements who are targeting the police personnel.

He said that after approval of Rs21.4 million for the purchase of quadcopters by the Punjab cabinet, the summary has been sent to IG Punjab and he has been asked to contact the Finance Department for immediate release of these funds.