KARACHI: The Rangers claimed to have killed in an encounter in Quaidabad on Thursday morning a militant wanted by law enforcement agencies in a number of cases of high-profile targeted killings and bomb blasts in the metropolis.

A spokesperson of the paramilitary force said the Rangers personnel conducted an intelligence-driven targeted action in Gulshan-i-Buner and shot dead Qari Abdul Rehman in an ensuing encounter.

He said that two of his accomplices were also arrested in the action. The home department had announced a Rs1.5 million reward for Qari’s arrest, he said.

The official said that affiliation of the arrested suspects with any militant group and their alleged involvement in terror acts would be disclosed to media later on.

‘Gangster’ killed in Lyari encounter

The Rangers also claimed to have gunned down a suspected gangster in Lyari in an encounter late on Wednesday night.

The paramilitary force was conducting a targeted operation in Juman Shah Plot, Kalakot area, against members of Lyari gangs when suspected gangsters opened fire on Rangers troops. A suspect was shot dead when the troops fired back, according to the Rangers spokesperson.

The deceased was identified as Irfan Malik alias Kalu associated with the ‘Wehshi gang’ of Noor Mohammad alias Baba Ladla. He was involved in “nine targeted killings, vehicle snatching, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, street and other crimes,” claimed the Rangers official. Weapons were also seized during the raid, he added.

Meanwhile, a team of Rangers Special Task Force carried out a targeted operation against ‘extortionists’ in New Karachi area and arrested three alleged extortionists namely Amir, Tahir and Saddam Hussain. The suspects were affiliated with a ‘religio-political party’, said the official statement.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2014