Foreign hand behind Safoora carnage: DG Rangers

Says mastermind of Ismailis’ killing was also held before; five terrorists killed in Karachi encounters

By our correspondents
May 22, 2015
KARACHI: DG Rangers Sindh Major General Bilal Akbar on Thursday expressed his determination to control terrorism in Karachi, saying a foreign hand is involved in subversive activities like the Safoora carnage in Karachi.
Meanwhile, five militants were killed in separate encounters with the Rangers in Lyari.
While briefing the Standing Committee on Human Rights, the DG Rangers said that foreign powers were involved in terrorism in Karachi and incidents like the Safoora killing of Ismailis. Proof in this regard had been handed over to the federal government. He said the mastermind of this carnage was also arrested in the past.
He said the law enforcement agencies were conducting successful intelligence-based operations in Karachi. “Fifteen percent of the target killing incidents in Karachi are on a sectarian basis,” the DG Rangers added.
The IG Sindh also briefed the committee and said that the law and order situation of the province has improved with the joint efforts of the police and Rangers.He claimed that incidents of kidnapping for ransom had also been curtailed.
Online adds: At least five militants have been killed in separate encounters with the Rangers in different parts of Lyari. According to details, three terrorists were killed in two separate encounters in the Chakiwara area of Lyari. A Rangers spokesman informed that the dead terrorists were identified as Jamal, Riaz and Bashir.
Giving further details, the spokesman said that militants Jamal and Riaz were involved in 60 cases of target killings while terrorist Bashir was involved in 20 target killing cases.On the other hand, two gang war accused were killed in an encounter with the Rangers in the Jahanabad area of Lyari. The Rangers spokesperson said that the dead were identified as Qadeer and Shakeel who belonged to the Arshad Pappu group.
The Rangers spokesperson further informed that Qadeer and Shakeel were involved in the target killing of 20 people. A large quantity of arms was also recovered from their possession.