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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Security alert in Karachi after LeJ’s chief killing

Police chief says security beefed up at mosques and places of worship of minority sects

By our correspondents
July 30, 2015
Karachi
Security has been beefed up at the mosques and other places of minority sects, particularly the Shia community, across Karachi on Wednesday following the killing of banned sectarian outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi chief Malik Ishaq, his two sons, another leader of the group and 10 other terrorists in a shootout with police in Muzaffargarh earlier in the day.
Besides, security has also been increased for the leaders and scholars of minority sects.
Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar told The News that the extra security measures had been taken to prevent a sectarian attack in reaction to the killing of the terrorists, particularly the LeJ chief.
“There might be a retaliatory attack as major banned organisations including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh were associated with the LeJ,” the additional IGP Karachi added.
“The DIGs of the East, West, South ranges have been instructed to adopt extra security measures and immediately conduct raids in case they receive information about the presence of any suspects.”
Mehar said the threat would prevail for the next three days.
He explained that there were about 400 people their fourth schedule or terror watch list and directives had been issued to recheck it and ensure that the people named in it had not slipped away.
Intelligence network
Counter-Terrorism Department additional IGP Sanaullah Abbasi told The News that he had directed intelligence units to expand their network and start working on the information already available to them to arrest terrorists.
He added that the CTD, in its late night raids on the outskirts of the city, had rounded some suspects and they were being interrogated.
Robbers arrested
Earlier, the Karachi police chief in a media briefing said three robbers had been arrested and weapons including Awan rockets and rocket launchers seized from them.
He added that the three men had committed a robbery at the office of QS Associates, an interior designing firm in Clifton. Its owner, Qaizar Ismail, had lodged a complaint wherein it was stated that Rs4 million had been robbed.
DIG South Jameel Ahmed had formed a committee under the supervision of SSP Investigation South Faizullah Karejo. During the course of investigation, the committee had arrested a suspect Mohammed Idrees. His cell phone data had confirmed that he was involved in the crime and during interrogation, he had revealed the names of his two other associates, Mohammed Rehman and Shahid Khan, who were later arrested.
Idrees was an employee at the firm and the mastermind of the robbery. The city’s police chef said the three men were found in possession of Rs3.7 million and other valuables that were robbed from the company and had been seized.

Chanesar Goth raid
Mehar said another team under the supervision of Mehmoodabad SHO Sarwer Commando had raided a hideout of criminals in Chanesar Goth on late Tuesday night. A gun battle between police and the criminals ensued. The team was also assisted by personnel of the Rapid Response Force.
However, the criminals managed to escape. While searching their hideout, police found a large quantity of weapons and ammunition including 20 sub-machine guns, 20 rocket-propelled grenades, one light machine gun, one Horsetail rifle, three repeater rifles, hand grenades, an Awan rocket launcher, an Awan grenade launcher, 25 SMG magazines, 15 Awan medium shells, nine Awan shells, 41 Awan rockets, 2,000 bullets of different calibers and 150 SMG rounds. — By Salis bin Perwaiz