Imran orders crackdown against bandits in DG Khan

Ag APP

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday ordered the Punjab police chief to take “strict action” against dacoit gangs in Dera Ghazi Khan, which have been pestering the local people with their “barbarism”.

Khan announced that he was ordering massive operations against these lawbreakers while speaking at the launching ceremony of Sehat Sahulat card for Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions. He said the police and Rangers will be directed to eliminate these dacoits to provide protection to the people, state-run Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying.

According to Geo News, he said he saw a video of some bandits torturing three individuals, which gave him anguish. In the viral video, the men can be seen bound and sitting on the ground, with an alleged dacoit whipping his feet. The video was reportedly made in the Taman Khosa tribal area and media reports said two of the three individuals were murdered with a sharp instrument in the video.

“Now dacoits will not be spared. No one can be allowed to trouble the locals. The Rangers will also assist the police,” the Prime Minister said.

Just a day earlier, the Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid to head to Sindh and focus on the province’s law and order situation. “PM has ordered me to go to Sindh and hold meeting with the Rangers,” Rashid had said.

Rashid had also said the directives were issued to him “as lawlessness is on the rise in Sindh”, and the police are “unable to deliver”. The minister said that the Premier directed him to compile a report and send it to him as soon as possible. On Wednesday, Rashid left for Karachi to review law and order situation and work out a strategy on the situation with law enforcement agencies. He was scheduled to meet Sindh governor Imran Ismail on Wednesday and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah today (Thursday).

The law and order situation in Sindh and various security affairs related to the province and federal government were to be reviewed during the meetings.

Sheikh Rashid told reporters later that the Prime Minister would make the decision on whether or not an operation would take place in the province after he submits the report. He also said he was not interfering in any ministry and he would meet with the Sindh Chief Minister, as law and order was a “provincial issue”. He however, said as far as law and order is concerned, the Centre would support the provinces.

With regard to the health insurance, the Prime Minister told the gathering that the provision of health cards to the citizens would ensure “complete and free of cost health coverage, which was unimaginable in the country’s history”.

With the extension of health card facility to every family of the Punjab province, the poor people would no longer have to worry about medical treatment, he said.

Every family in the Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions can now avail health treatment worth Rs720,000, and the coverage extends to all public and private hospitals. As informed by the Punjab minister for health, an additional Rs300,000 amount could be given to the deserving families when required, the Prime Minister said.

Khan said the system of universal health coverage was new for the country and stressed that they would have to keep vigilance. “It will become a safety net and end health concerns of the poor people,” he added.

The Prime Minister also underlined the need to encourage the private sector to fully participate in health initiatives. He observed that government-owned lands could be offered to the private sector at affordable prices for the construction of hospitals and other health facilities, especially in far flung areas of the country.

Khan also noted that migration of the masses from rural to urban areas took place due to the lack of job opportunities and basic facilities, multiplying population of cities, which led to a multitude of serious civic issues like sewerage and scarcity of drinking water. “The development must be all areas inclusive, so that no area should be left behind,” he emphasised.

He said some 50-60 years back, Pakistan had been excelling in the world in every sector of life. The Prime Minister said the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) established a state, which took the responsibility of feeble segments of the society. The world had never seen such a revolution as the weak people rose to prominence. The humanity and rule of law had been given consideration, he added.

During his stay in the United Kingdom, he said, he had witnessed two things linked with the functioning of a welfare state, including the rule of law as everyone was treated equally, and secondly, provision of free health facility to each British, besides unemployment benefits, free legal aid and free education with high standard.