The Sindh Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Monday to have killed the “mastermind” of the audacious attack on the Karachi Police Office (KPO) on Feb 17.

Last month, hours-long combat between terrorists and law-enforcement agencies — comprising Pak Army Special Service Group (SSG), Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Sindh Police — at the KPO located at Sharea Faisal had left five people martyred and 17 injured.

In a press release issued today, the CTD said that Aryadullah and his accomplice were killed in an operation near the Northern Bypass in the Mangophir area.

The identification of the other slain terrorist is underway, it stated, adding that two other terrorists were also arrested during the operation.

The CTD statement added that a search and clearance operation was being conducted in the area.

Dawn.com has also learnt that Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon will address a press conference in Karachi at 3pm today to brief the public on the CTD encounter.

It is pertinent to mention that the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed the responsibility for the Feb 17 attack on the KPO.

Three militants, who wore suicide jackets, were killed and three law enforcers and one civilian were martyred while 18 others, mostly police and Rangers’ personnel, were injured during the hours-long joint operation carried out by the police, Rangers and army personnel.

Later, Saddar SHO Khalid Memon had lodged a first information report (FIR) against the three militants, their facilitators and TTP spokesperson under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 34 (common intention) read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 3/4 of the Explosives Act 1908.

The investigation was later handed over to the CTD.