KARACHI: Four men, including a local leader from the banned ASWJ, accused of being involved in a bank heist were arrested Wednesday during an operation conducted by personnel of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) team of the police in Karachi's Nursery area, according to a press release.

The suspects include Zafarullah s/o Naseerullah, Farhan s/o Numan, Raees s/o Haji Rehmat and Inayatullah s/o Haji Kher Mohammad.

The men were held for breaking into Summit Bank situated in Baloch Colony last month, and walking off with cash and 12 repeater shotguns and pistols belonging to the bank's security guard.

A First Information Report (FIR) 122/2015 was registered over the offence at Baloch Colony police station under Section 395 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Repeaters and pistols were seized from the suspects' custody during the operation today. The men were identified with the help of CCTV footage.

The suspects are said to be associated with the proscribed Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ), whereas one of the men, Zafarullah, is said to be the chief of ASWJ in Karachi's Akhtar Colony. SP Farooq Awan of the Special Investigation Unit of police told media representatives that suspect, Farhan, was an under-training police recruit.

Meanwhile, raids are underway to arrest companions of the suspects.

Karachi has been a cauldron of ethnic and political tension for decades, where political parties have militant wings, gangs make money through drug-trafficking, land grabbing and other forms of crime, and sectarian violence.

Targeted operations led by Rangers’ forces with the support of police are ongoing in the city under a directive issued by the federal government against criminals already identified by federal, military and civilian agencies.