So much for Punjab police
So much for Shahbaz Sharif boasting that the Punjab police did not need additional help from the Rangers or the military to ‘cleanse’ terrorism from his province. But no sooner did his elite police commandos take up position near the island on the Indus that houses said bad guys that the force had to call for help from none other than the Rangers and the military. But, deprived as the latter were of legal cover to take the lead in the operation, they wisely picketed the island but moved no further. And once Punjab’s elite police force did move in, they lost about half a dozen of their commandos on the spot, with a similar number missing, and about 25 were taken hostage.
Now, not only would one not find the Punjab CM’s saber rattling anymore, but rather his senior ministers are busy putting a spin on his earlier claim. Going by their new position, when their CM ruled out Rangers in Punjab he was actually asking for limited Rangers and (if needed) regular army participation – including air cover. Incredibly, there is also chatter that the Punjab government is unhappy because relevant authorities refused helicopter gunships when they were requested at the last minute.
Perhaps one reason Punjab’s much celebrated elite force folded immediately before the rag-tag bandits is because they spend their prime service time in VIP protection. Also, they must have found this ‘police encounter’ somewhat different from their usual practice. That they were taken aback by ‘six foot elephant grass’ and were almost completely clueless about the Chotoo gang, shows how little they have been trained in intelligence gathering and reconnaissance. Now the two dozen or so policemen held captive will completely change the equation. The bandits, who should have been apprehended long, long ago, will negotiate from a position of strength. And the airstrikes that the police high-command wanted so badly are, of course, no longer an option. Therefore, once again, the military will be called in to do the civilian government’s job; with nobody to blame but the Punjab government itself.