The Punjab police announced on Friday that the primary perpetrator of the rocket attack that murdered 12 police officers in the Rahim Yar Khan riverine area has been identified. They also promised to “bring to justice” all other miscreants involved in the assault.

The police statement was released the day after police officers in the Machka area of the Punjab district were attacked by bandits using rocket launchers, resulting in the deaths of twelve officers and the injuries of six more. The officers’ mobile vehicle had become trapped in the rainfall.

The Punjab police said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that bandit Bashir Shar had been murdered in the incident, and that his accomplices, Sanaullah Shar, Gada Ali, Kamlu Shar, Ramzan Shar, and Gadi, had been injured.

A day prior, bandits ambushed two police trucks in Rahim Yar Khan, transporting approximately twenty-two police officers, after one of the vans broke down due to low-level flooding.

The gang targeted the trapped officers with rocket launchers.

Dr. Usman Anwar, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), vowed to “take all the outlaws involved in this attack to their logical end.”

The police statement stated, “The operation will continue until the perpetrators are eliminated.”

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz praised the police for their swift reprisal in response to the situation. “The Punjab government cannot forget the valuable sacrifices of the police martyrs, and we will make a solid commitment to rid the Katcha area of the dacoits.”

She continued, “The terrorists responsible for the martyrdom of police officers will face consequences.”

All of the police martyrs’ funeral prayers were said earlier today at the Sadiq Shaheed Police Lines in Rahim Yar Khan. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, IGP Anwar, Punjab Home Secretary Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, and a host of high-ranking law enforcement and military officials, members of the public, and martyrs’ families were among those present at the funeral.

Shahzad Masood Roomi

Shahzad Masood Roomi is founding member and, editor security and geopolitics at GCW. He is IT graduate and has more than 10 years experience of being a  geopolitics and defense affairs analyst. He focuses on IR, geopolitics, strategic studies, maritime security, cybersecurity issues, military aviation, history and geography. His work has published in national and international media outlets.