KARACHI: The counterterrorism department of Sindh police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested three suspected militants associated with the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who were allegedly involved in killings on sectarian grounds.

Addressing a press conference at his office, Raja Umar Khattab of the CTD, said that the arrested suspects had been identified as Mirza Umar Farooq Baig, alias Wadood; Syed Zabiullah, alias Taliban and Fazal Razzaq.

The CTD acting on an intelligence-based tip-off placed its team on a route entering from Hub, Balochistan, to Karachi and after efforts achieved its target, he added.

“The arrested men were actually entering Karachi on foot from Hub,” said Mr Khattab. “They were hardened militants and involved in several killings, including of policemen. They are close aide to LJ militants, who had escaped from prison in 2017. The high profile Mumtaz, alias Firoun, and Ahmed Khan, alias Munna, were languishing in jail and facing trial in various terrorism cases until they managed to escape from the judicial complex of the Karachi central prison on June 14, 2017.”

Mr Khattab said that apart from killings on sectarian grounds, the suspected militants were also planning to target some high-profile personalities in Karachi to sabotage peace and destabilise the city so that they could exploit the vulnerable security situation in the metropolis.

“During initial investigation, we have also recovered a hit list from their possession which suggested that they were eyeing some policemen mainly in Orangi Town, who have actively participated in operations for arrests of militants and anti-state elements,” he added.

Three MQM-L activists held

The city police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested three suspects belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London and allegedly involved in targeted killings of policemen and others.

Addressing a press conference at his office, SSP east Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said that arrested suspects Kamal Hussain, Imtiaz and Shahid were taken into custody after a raid on a hideout in a Soldier Bazaar locality.

“They are part of 11-member assassin group, which is associated with the MQM-London,” he said. “They actively took part in killings on political and ethnic grounds in the past. They were also planning to execute their plan to spark fear and terror in Karachi. The police have also recovered assault rifles AK-47, shotguns and pistols from their possession. We hope to move forward and make more arrest in the light of investigation into their crimes.”

Rangers DG briefed on facilities at JPMC

Director General of Sindh Rangers Major General Omar Ahmed Bukhari visited the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi and praised its administration for running one of the best health facilities in the country where people from entire Pakistan came to seek medical treatment for various ailments.

A spokesman for the Sindh Rangers on Tuesday said Maj General Omar Ahmed Bukhari along with other senior officials of the force visited the JPMC and attended a briefing on health facilities available at the medical centre as well as services being provided to patients.

The executive director of the JPMC Dr Seemin Jamali briefed the visiting guests about facilities available at the health facility, number of beds and its various departments, unique health services available at the medical centre including Cyber Knife, PET Scan and other radiological facilities being provided to patients.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2019