MULTAN: A large-scale crackdown will be launched jointly by the army and police to eliminate hideouts of banned organisations in districts of south Punjab falling under the jurisdiction of Bahawalpur and Multan corps, Dawn has learnt.

According to sources privy to the development, a meeting of regional police officers and commissioners was scheduled with respective corps commanders and other army officials on Tuesday (today) in Bahawalpur and Multan.

They said a strategy for the crackdown would be devised in the meeting that will be attended by regional heads of various intelligence agencies and officials of the C o u n t e r-Te r r o r i s m Department (CTD).

They further said for the first time some district police officers were invited to such a high-profile meeting.

The sources said during routine targeted operations conducted in Multan region a number of suspected terrorists and theirfacilitators had been arrested besides weapons being seized. Two special operations in Multan and one inKhanewal district were conducted on Sunday night, he added.

Regional Police Officer Tariq Masood Yasin said routine joint search operations were already being conducted. He also said a meeting of all police officers would be held on Tuesday (today).

`Multan region is on high alert and surprise and information-base d raids are being conducted in various locations of all four districts,` he added.

District Coordination Officer Zahid Saleem Gondal said a meeting of the district`s intelligence committee was held on Monday and the district government had requested police and other security agencies to beef up security across the district.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority closed down major parks of the city for three days.

City Police Officer Azhar Akram said security in the district had been tightened while temporary police posts would be established everyday for two hours.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Kashif, a labourer who died in Sunday`s blast in Lahore, was laid to rest in his native village of Chak No169/10-R Khanewal district.