Outlaws on island surrender to army

Policemen held hostage and used as human shields by notorious gangsters finally rescued

Notorious outlaws holed up on a small island on the River Indus surrendered to Pakistan’s army yesterday, in the face of a looming all-out assault by encircling troops.

The head of military’s public relations wing, Lt. General Asim Saleem, told journalists the ringleader of the criminals, known as ‘Chotu Gang’, laid down arms along with 12 of his men.

“They surrendered unconditionally,” he said, adding that the army was in control of the densely forested island and was taking steps to round up any remaining criminals.

Leader in custody

Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa said the gang leader, Ghulam Rasool, or Chotu, and the others were in army custody and being interrogated.

He said the operation had been carried out without any collateral damage and the policemen held hostage by the outlaws had been rescued.

The chief military spokesman said that the army would not brook any “no-go area” in any part of the country and would act promptly in case anyone tried to do so.

According to earlier local media reports, the gang had nearly 200 men.

The reports said it had been engaged in criminal acts including kidnappings-forransom from the river island located in the Rajanpur and Rahimyar Khan districts of Punjab, the most populous province of the country.

Last Friday, the army took charge of the operation to wrest control of the island.

The army moved in after Punjab police failed to overcome tough resistance by the well-entrenched and heavily armed gang, losing at least seven officers in battles.

The outlaws had dominated lives of thousands of farming families in the region around the island.

The reports said the gang had used the kidnapped policemen as well as women and children as human shields.

The federal and Punjab governments of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the party of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had come under fire from opponents over the gang’s activities.