'Mastermind' behind Karachi Police Office terror attack killed

The mastermind behind the February 17 terror attack on the Karachi Police Office (KPO) and an accomplice of his were killed in an encounter with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Geo News reported Monday.

The CTD acted on a tip-off near the Northern Bypass in Manghopir.  in which the mastermind of the Karachi Police Office attack, Iriadullah, was killed.

CTD officials said that in an exchange of fire, two terrorists, including Iriadullah, the mastermind of the KPO attack, and his accomplice, were killed, while two others were arrested.

According to the CTD, Iriadullah was a commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Karachi, while the second terrorist killed was identified as Abdul Waheed.

Last month, three terrorists with suicide jackets entered the building of the KPO. In the hours-long operation that followed, police commandos and paramilitary soldiers cleared the building.

All the three terrorists were killed in the operation and four persons, including two policemen and a Sindh Rangers sub-inspector, embraced martyrdom in the nerve-racking operation that lasted for more than four hours.

At least 17 other people, including police and Rangers personnel, were also injured in the terror attack, which occurred after a deadly suicide attack at a Peshawar Civil Lines mosque that left at least 85 dead.

DIG East Muqadas Haider, DIG South Ifran Baloch, DIG Rapid Response Force (RRF) Nasir Aftab, Special Security Unit (SSU) and Sindh Rangers had participated in the tense operation. The Pakistan Army had also assisted the law enforcers.

A case was later registered against the TTP at a CTD police station.