KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department of police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two suspected Lashkar-i-Jhangvi militants who were planning to carry out killings during the month of Muharram.

During initial interrogation, the held suspects “confessed” to have killed several people belonging to a certain sect.

According to CTD SSP (Investigation) Naveed Ahmed Khowaja, incidents of ethnic and sectarian killings were on the rise in the metropolis and there were reports that banned jihadi and sectarian outfits were planning to carry out the targeted killing of members of their supposed ‘rival’ sect during Muharram.

In view of such reports, the CTD police conducted a targeted raid in Bandhani Colony of Liaquatabad near Quba mosque and arrested two “dangerous” suspects, Mohammed Abdullah and Adnan Ahmed, belonging to the outlawed organisation.

Three 9mm pistols, 15 bullets and one motorbike were seized from their custody. “They were planning more killings of members of their supposed rival sect during Muharram,” said the CTD SSP.

He said the seized 9mm pistols were sent to the police’s forensic lab, which confirmed that the same weapons had been used in some recent sectarian killings. SSP Khowaja told Dawn that three 9mm pistols seized from the custody of the held militants were used in targeted killings from 2014 to 2015. The targeted attacks were carried out in Nazimabad, Baloch Colony, Azizabad, Joharabad and Yousuf Plaza.

Most of the victims belonged to the Shia community who were targeted on sectarian basis, added the officer. He said the key culprit in the cases was Waseem alias Builder who was stated to be the LJ’s local chief.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2017