Authorities in south Punjab lifted curfew for a two hour period on Saturday morning before army, police and paramilitary forces resumed their operation to rescue dozens of policemen held hostage by the dreaded Chhotu gang.
Zahoor Hussain, District Coordination Officer (DCO), said the two-hour relief in curfew was announced to facilitate the people of the district, expressing the hope that the abducted police officials are safe.
Two hundred troops of the Pakistan Army have surrounded many villages, while the Rangers have also set up outposts as part of the operation against criminal elements in Punjab’s reverine area after notorious gangsters led by Chhotu inflicted heavy losses on police.
Seven policemen and as many miscreants have been killed since the police launched the drive against gangsters.
The DPO says the curfew would continue after the brief pause, adding that safe recovery of the policemen was top most priority. Army and civilian leaders decided to launch an operation against militant organizations and criminal elements in Punjab after a deadly suicide bombing killed over 60 people at park in Lahore last month.
