The news from Rajanpur is shockingly and disgustingly sinister. The so-called Chotoo gang has released a few of the two dozen hostages (policemen) on Sunday and demanded a safe passage in return for the release of the remaining hostages.
How could a gang of criminals acquire such power as to challenge and frustrate the might of the Police force of Pakistan’s biggest province ? The question remains unanswered and will remain unanswered if Chotoo is not caught alive.
The speculations are that the said gang had grown powerful in alliance with some elements in the police force as well as the political scene to transforms ‘crime’ into an industry.
Under pressure from the GHQ, Punjab government was forced recently to launch an operation against criminal elements. This operation has fully exposed the limitations of the government of Mian Shahbaz Sharif in handling organized crime in his province. The saddest part of the whole episode is that the Chotoo gang is equipped with far more sophisticated weapons than the Police. Quite clearly the finances available to the province have been consumed almost entirely by the contractors involved in construction work.
It goes without saying that the Rangers have a task at hand in Punjab too. Meaning thereby that the Noon League government’s goal of keeping the Military away from its ‘areas of operation’ has been defeated.
In this connection the rumours are ominously circulating the air that a new NRO is being worked out in London between the leaderships of the “Muk Mukka” parties to form a joint front against the involvement of the Rangers and the GHQ, in all matters related to governance.
Corruption will join hands with Corruption to try to bury the last hope of this Nation.
