LARKANA: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two militants having links with proscribed organisations in separate actions. Two Kalashnikov rifles, two pistols and detonators were seized from them, it said.

Speaking at a press conference, CTD SP Abdullah Ahmedyar identified one of the two suspects as Qari Mohammed Bilal and said that he was picked up from near Shaikh Zayed Hospital turning in Larkana in action carried out after secret information about his presence there was received. “He hails from Rajanpur (south Punjab) and has remained associated with different proscribed organisations, including Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ), and the notorious Chhotu gang,” the SP said, adding that the suspect had received training in Afghanistan.

“The qari had gone underground after committing a murder in 2008. He was declared an absconder after a local court sentenced him to life imprisonment in absentia. He was also wanted in several other cases registered against him in Quetta,” the police officer said.

About the second alleged militant identified as Abid Shah, SP Ahmedyar said he was picked up in a similar action in Kashmore. “Shah is affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and was wanted by police in an attack on Khushal Khan Khattak Express in 2015. The case was registered at a Kashmore police station,” he said.

According to the CTD officer, Shah was involved in planting explosives to blow up electricity pylons, railways tracks and gas pipelines in different areas. “His two associates managed to escape when a raid was conducted by a CTD team,” he said.

Shah had close links with BLA’s Ali Bagh and ‘commander’ Dosoo, the SP said, adding that a raid was also carried out on the residence of another suspect, Asghar Kalhoro, in Qambar but he managed to escape.

In reply to a question, SP Ahmedyar said the group led by Hafeez Brohi had been carrying out terrorist activities in Sindh but in recent months its members had fled to the Khuzdar, Mastung and Jafferabad areas of Balochistan. “The Sindh CTD is in constant touch with its Balochistan counterpart to launch a joint operation in that province to bust the network,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2017