KARACHI: As many as 16 suspected militants linked with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan whose ringleader operates from Afghanistan were arrested after an “encounter” on late Thursday night, officials said on Friday.

They were planning major terror acts in Karachi.

Earlier, their three accomplices, including a purported suicide bomber, were gunned down in an ‘encounter’ with the law enforcers on Tuesday night in Qaimkhani Colony of Baldia Town.

“These arrests were made in two separate areas after a joint operation carried out by Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Counter-Terrorism Department,” added the officials.

“Acting on ‘credible information’, the paramilitary force and the CTD personnel encircled Gana Mandi in Sohrab Goth off the Superhighway and Mominabad area of Orangi Town,” said Rangers spokesperson.

“This operation was carried out to arrest the militants who had fled during an encounter in Qaimkhani Colony on late Tuesday night, in which their three accomplices were killed.

“As a result, 16 suspects were arrested,” he added.

The held militants were identified as Rafiullah Arif, alias Arif Qari, Abdul Majid, alias Mufti, Mohammad Younis, alias Anas, Mohammad Razzak, alias Shal Dada, Shamsul Huda, alias Molvi, Umer Khaliq, alias Husain, Mohammad Junaid, alias Abdul Manan, Junaid Ahmed, Khan Bahadur, Abdul Ghaffar, alias Abu Huraira, Mohammad Zainul Abidin, alias Siddiqi, Saifullah, alias Saifu, Mohammed Asif, Dr Sanaullah, alias Sana, Abdul Aziz, alias Kamran and Umer Ali Zargar.

“All the arrested terrorists belonged to the Ustad Aslam-led Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group,” said a brief statement issued by the Rangers.

Subsequently, all apprehended suspects were handed over to the CTD for further legal action.

CTD DIG Amir Farooqi told Dawn that the ringleader of the group, Israr Aslam alias Ustad Aslam, operates from Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2018