KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah disclosed on Friday that the recent knife attacks on women in Gulistan-i-Jauhar had been carried out by a group of two men, who are still at large.

`We believe that two criminals are involved in these attacks. One belongs to Sahiwal, Punjab and the other one is from Karachi,` the CM told reporters after a programme at the German consulategeneral. `Right now, both men are not in our custody, but we will soon arrest them.

Prior to the CM`s statement, police and other law enforcement agencies have been blaming a lone attacker for stabbing over a dozen women in Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Gulshan-i-Iqbal areas during the past 10 days.

Mr Shah said that the man who came to Karachi from Sahiwal was previously involve d in more than 30 knife attacks on women in Punjab.

He said that the law enforcement agencies had tightened the noose around the knife attackers and very soon the people of Karachi would hear `good news` IGP`s huddle Earlier in the day, Inspector General of Police A.D. Khowajaheld a meeting at the Central Police Office to assess the situation in the wake of rising knife attacks on women.

Sources said that the police authorities decided to seek technical help from the Intelligence Bureau and other agencies for the arrest of those involved in the attacks.

It was also decided that patrolling and snap-checking would be intensified in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal and other adjoining areas from 6pm till midnight on a daily basis to prevent the attacks, which triggered fear and panic among residents, especially women.

The sources said that the Sindh police also sought help from the Punjab police since they came to know that similar identical knife attacks had taken place in Sahiwaland Rawalpindi.

A senior police official told Dawn that a team of the Sindh police had been sent to Punjab to find out clues that could help in arresting the attacker(s) here.

A brief statement issued after the meeting said that IG Khowaja directed his subordinates to ensure early arrest of the culprit(s) through a strategy based on modern technology.

He also appointed DIG East Sultan Ali Khowaja as the focal person for sharing progress in the stabbing cases with media.

He also issued directions for further strengthening an `advance intelligence collection system` at police station levels.

The IG directed the authorities to enhance coordination with the Sindh Rangers and other law enforcement agencies so that over-all steps for curbing crimes could be made more ef fective.

The IG also urged the people to inform police about any information pertaining to the knife attacks.

The police had already announced a Rs500,000 reward for any information leading to arrest ofthe culprit.

The meeting was attended by the Karachi police chief and other senior of ficials.

Separately, in a search operation carried out in Rabia City, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, the police detainednine suspectsforinterrogation.

SSP East Dr Samiullah Soomro said that police deployment in the areas where the attacks had taken place had been increased and search operations were also being conducted to arrest the culprits.