Dacoits in Machka area of katcha has released a video in which one of the police personnel, who had gone missing after the martyrdom of 12 policemen in Rahimyar Khan in a rocket attack by dacoits, could be seen with his hands tied and imploring the government for his release, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.
In the video, Ahmad Nawaz tells the authorities to meet the demands of the dacoits, or otherwise, they will kill him.
He informs that the dacoits have given the deadline of 5:00 PM today.
Talking to journalists on Friday, Nawaz’s father had beseeched the authorities to trace his son, saying he had contact with him before the attack. “But after that, the whereabouts of my son are not known,” he said.
As many as 12 policemen were martyred and seven were injured as a result of an ambush by dacoits in the Machka area of Rahim Yar Khan on Thursday.
Bahawalpur Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rai Babar Saeed confirmed that “12 personnel were martyred and seven were injured in the attack.”
A statement from the Punjab police said that two police vans were returning from weekly duties when one of the vehicles developed a fault, after which sudden rocket attacks occurred.
It added that the Rahim Yar Khan district police officer was present at the scene.
Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar took notice of the incident, and proceeded to the location with several other senior police officials.
Condemning the attack, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz vowed that it would not go “unavenged”.
“Sacrifices of police personnel will always be remembered,” she said, directing the authorities concerned to take immediate action to recover the missing policemen.
The chief minister also sought an immediate report from the IGP on the matter.
Reporter: Amir Bhatti