Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar Confirms Police Dominance in Katcha — Rescue Operation Underway

Sindh Home Minister Zia ul Hassan Lanjar addressed the media in Sukkur on Wednesday, making a series of bold declarations regarding law enforcement operations in the historically volatile Katcha region, while also providing a critical update on the ongoing search for missing Hindu girl Priya Kumari.

Speaking with confidence about the government’s security achievements, the Home Minister stated that “there is no longer fear of bandits in Katcha — it is now the police who are feared.” This marked a significant shift in the narrative surrounding one of Pakistan’s most lawless and remote terrains, long dominated by armed criminal gangs.

Lanjar further asserted that “complete government control has been established in the Katcha region,” emphasizing that law enforcement operations had successfully dismantled the power of outlaws who had for decades terrorized local communities and held entire areas hostage. He added emphatically that “there is no area left where the government’s authority does not exist.”

Regarding the high-profile case of missing girl Priya Kumari, the minister confirmed that active rescue operations were in full swing. “Teams have been formed for the recovery of Priya Kumari,” he told journalists, signaling that dedicated taskforces were now pursuing every lead available to locate the missing child.

However, the minister also acknowledged a painful setback in the search operation. “The bandit who had information about the whereabouts of the girl has been killed,” Lanjar disclosed, revealing that a key source of intelligence regarding Priya Kumari’s location had been eliminated during ongoing security operations, potentially complicating efforts to trace her.

Despite this development, the Home Minister remained resolute in his commitment to finding the missing girl. “The child has not been found yet, but our efforts are ongoing,” he stated, assuring the public and the victim’s family that authorities would not rest until Priya Kumari was safely recovered.

The minister’s press conference in Sukkur comes amid sustained military and police operations in the Katcha belt — a riverine area along the Indus stretching across Sindh and southern Punjab — which has long served as a stronghold for criminal gangs involved in kidnappings, extortion, and armed robberies. Security experts have noted that the recent crackdown represents one of the most decisive government actions in the region in years.