KARACHI, Nov 30: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Sindh police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested four suspected members of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and seized arms, explosives and suicide vests from them. Officials said that the four suspects — Muhammad Umar alias Sohrab, Barkatullah alias Zanjeer, Amanuddin alias Munnu and Ahsanullah alias Taxi Wala — were arrested after a brief shoot-out that took place when they tried to escape in a taxi in the Sohrab Goth area.

CID SP Omar Shahid told a press conference that the taxi was signalled to stop by a police team in a locality near Sohrab Goth, but the occupants of the taxi opened fire and tried to speed away. However, they were arrested after a brief exchange of gunfire, he added.

Three jackets meant for carrying out suicide attacks, two AK-47 assault rifles, one rifle, a TT pistol and a large quantity of explosives were recovered from them, he said.

He claimed that the arrested suspect, Amanuddin alias Munnu, was the commander of the group and they were planning to target police offices, buildings of intelligence outfits and shrines in the city.

The SP said that the suspects were not directly involved in a devastating gun and bomb attack on a CID building in Civil Lines. Targeted killings suspect held The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the police has arrested a suspect allegedly involved in nearly one dozen incidents of targeted killing in the city.

According to an SIU statement, the suspect, Muhammad Yasin, was arrested in Korangi 100 Quarters after an exchange of gunfire.

It said that the suspects allegedly disclosed that he had killed at least 11 people associated with different political and religious parties.

“During interrogations, the suspect disclosed the names of 19 accomplices who had aided him in meeting the targets and also helped him out in armed robberies,” the statement said. “The suspect remained in prison for seven years and is a resident of Badar Town in Korangi.”