KARACHI: Rangers on Wednesday claimed to have arrested two suspects belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London’s “South Africa network” for allegedly planning to target political leaders ahead of the July 25 elections to disrupt peace in Karachi.

A Rangers spokesperson said that the paramilitary force along with police carried out an intelligence-based joint action in Orangi Town and arrested M. Bilal Lodhi and M. Irshad.

The official claimed that both the suspects had planned assassination of political leaders to sabotage peace prior to the polls under orders of their party leaders.

He said last month the MQM-L’s South Africa network had set up “target killing teams” to assassinate rival political candidates, including those who had left the MQM-L, to sabotage holding of peaceful elections.

During initial interrogations, the held suspects disclosed that they were provided financial resources by the MQM’s London secretariat.

Initially, they were tasked to target Mohsin Javed and Arif Hussain Qureshi, who are contesting elections on PS-128 from the platform of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, respectively, the Rangers official said, adding that Pak Sarzameen Party office-bearers in Gulbahar Moin and Azhar were also on their list.

The MQM-L had also provided them arms, which were recovered from their possession, he said.

The law enforcers launched operations in Karachi to arrest other members of the “target killing teams”.

The held suspects have been handed over to the police for further legal action.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2018