KARACHI: Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on Sunday claimed to have arrested three suspected militants belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Gulshan-i-Maymar.

They said the held suspects were planning attacks on airport, US consulate general and security printing press.

A Rangers spokesperson said that the paramilitary force along with police carried out an intelligence-based joint action and detained Yaseen alias Abu Hunzla, Ikramullah alias Faisal and Mohammed Khalid alias Mansoor.

Two of them had recently came from Afghanistan and wanted to carry out terrorist attacks in Karachi soon. They belonged to TTP’s Qari Saad Bilal group, added the official.

“During initial probe, the held suspects confessed to their involvement in several terror acts,” he said.

A Rangers press release said that Yaseen was a trained militant who had remained in contact with his commander, Qari Saad Bilal, for two years.

“He was trying to carry out terror acts in Karachi and conducted reconnaissance of important installations such as Quaid-i-Azam International Airport, American consulate and Pakistan Security Printing Corporation and had sent videos to Qari Saad and Moosa through telegram [app],” it said.

Held Ikramullah along with TTP commander Iqbal Husain alias Abu Turab and others was involved in targeting three government schools and a police station in Swat, it said, adding that suspect Khalid was a close aide to Yaseen and was involved along with him in previous terror acts.

He was a trained militant, who went into hiding in Afghanistan after carrying out attacks in Pakistan. The suspect along with his other associates had recently come to Karachi from Afghanistan to carry out attacks, claimed the Rangers official.

The paramilitary force seized arms and ammunition from their custody and later handed them over to police for further legal action.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2020