‘SRA terrorist’ arrested in Malir raid

Malir district police personnel on Saturday arrested an alleged terrorist of the banned Sindh Republican Army (SRA) in several terrorism cases, including attacks on Chinese nationals and paramilitary soldiers in various parts of Sindh.

Hanif alias Bullu Badhshah, whose name is also mentioned in the Sindh Police’s Red Book, is alleged to be involved in attacks on Chinese nationals.

Malir police chief SSP Irfan Ali Bahadur said a raid was conducted after an informant tipped the police off about the presence of members of a banned outfit were in an area of the district. After facing resistance, the police team arrested Hanif with weapons.

During the interrogation, it was found that the suspect was associated with the SRA and his name was mentioned on page 106 in the Red Book, SSP Bahadur said and added that the terrorist was involved in grenade attacks on Rangers in Karachi and the interior of Sindh. Moreover, the suspect received training in Afghanistan in handling all kinds of weapons and rockets as well as in making bombs.

The police officer said Hanif joined the SRA in 2019 and he used to convey messages through mobile applications to contact his accomplices for acts of terrorism. The suspect carried out his first incident of terrorism on June 10, 2020, with a grenade attack on Rangers personnel at Gulistan-e-Jauhar’s Kamran Chowrangi. He was also alleged to be involved in a grenade attack on Rangers personnel in Ghotki on June 19, 2020, and hurling a grenade at a Rangers vehicle in Panu Akil on July 4, 2020.

The accused admitted that on August 5, 2020, he attacked a Kashmir rally in Karachi with a hand grenade, and hurled a hand grenade at Ranaji Estate in Korangi. On December 15, 2020, a magnetic bomb was planted in a car of the owner of a Chinese restaurant in Clifton. Hanif also admitted that on December 15, 2020, he attacked the Sheikh Zayed Campus with a hand grenade, and on December 22, 2020, he shot and injured a Chinese national on the Super Highway’s Jamali Bridge.

The accused told the police that in 2019, a motorcycle laden with explosives was parked on the Quaidabad bridge, but the explosives did not explode. He further disclosed that the SRA commanders Asghar Shah and Sajjad Shah used to order terrorist attacks.