KARACHI: The Sindh Rangers on Sunday claimed to have arrested 15 suspects affiliated with a ‘political party’ and equal number of alleged militants associated with banned organisations in a series of ‘targeted’ raids in Ittehad Town, Bilal Colony, Peerabad, Lyari, Machhar Colony, Frontier Colony and other areas on Saturday night and Sunday.

In a separate statement, a Rangers spokesperson said that three alleged hitmen were also detained in a targeted raid carried out on a tip-off in the Al-Falah area.

Weapons were seized from them, he added.

A Rangers spokesperson said that six suspects allegedly belonged to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were held in Ittehad Town. Four TTP suspects were held in Lyari and Machhar Colony while five suspects belonging to banned organisations were held in Bilal Colony, Peerabad, and Frontier Colony.

The Rangers conducted raids in Al-Falah, Safoora, Surjani, Martin Quarters, Ramswami/Dhobi Ghat, P&T Colony on hideouts of hitmen and hardened criminals ‘affiliated with a political party,’ said the spokesperson. During the actions 15 alleged criminals, including hitmen, were arrested and weapons seized.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2015