25 June 2004	Friday	06 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, June 24: Personnel of law enforcement agencies were involved in most of the terrorist incidents that took place in Karachi since 9/11 incident, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior was informed on Thursday.

The committee, which reviewed overall law and order situation in the country, was informed that three police officials who had taken part in the 'Karachi Operation', started by former interior minister Naseerullah Babar in 1994, had been killed in the recent spate of terrorism in Karachi.

The meeting, convened by its chairman Sardar Talib Hussain Nakai, was attended by Secretary Interior Tariq Mehmood, chairman, National Crisis Management Cell Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema, Inspector General of Police Sindh Syed Kamal Shah, Chief Commissioner Islamabad Junaid Iqbal, IGP Islamabad Fayyaz Ahmed Tooru, members of the committee; Tehmina Daultana, Mian Muhammad Aslam, Nayyar Bukhari, Farid Ahmed Paracha, Rajab Ali Khan, Syed Tasneem Nawaz Gardezi, Chaudhry Shahid Akram Bhinder, Ms Onaza Ehsan, Muhammad Safdar Shaker and Amjad Ali Warraich.

Responding to a question raised by Tehmina Daultana, the IGP Sindh Syed Kamal Shah said three police officials - Inspector Taufeeq, Muhammad Hussain and Shafique - who were part of Naseerullah Babar's operation, had been killed.

The IGP admitted that personnel of law enforcement agencies were involved in most of the terrorist incidents in Karachi, adding an official of special branch was involved in the murder of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl, a Rangers' personnel was involved in an attack on President Pervez Musharraf in Karachi, while one police official was among the suicide bombers who struck at Ali Raza mosque.

He also said investigations revealed that those involved in the recent suicide bombings in Karachi had a very clean record, and they were from well-reputed families.

A member of the committee, Farid Ahmed Paracha, said the corps commander Karachi had given Karachi a Rs32 billion development package, and was, therefore, targeted by those who were against the package.

The IGP Sindh claimed that 89 per cent terrorism cases had been detected by Karachi police, but 41 dangerous terrorists were still wanted. He informed: "It has also been proved that terrorists involved in the recent spate of terrorism in Karachi have an ability to make various types of bombs like mobile phone bombs, car bombs, book bombs, etc."

He said police had recovered 220 grenades and 2,900 kg dangerous chemicals from various terrorist gangs busted by the police. "This material could be used for manufacturing of hundreds of bombs," he added.

Mr Shah disclosed that activists of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi were involved in the suicide attacks on Haidery mosque. One Gul Hassan Baloch was the main accused in the incident and its mastermind - Asif Chotoo - was wanted by Punjab and Sindh police for last three years.

The IGP Sindh said that Daud Badini, mastermind of the Quetta bomb blast on Muharram 10, had also been arrested by Sindh police. He was of the view that there should be complete harmony and co-operation between the local government of Karachi and the provincial set-up of Sindh to ensure peace in the province.

Later, the committee emphasised the need for establishing a diplomatic enclave in Karachi, sophisticated equipment and arms for police, better salaries and accommodation facilities for police, training of police in the country and abroad etc.