Police claim arresting four LeJ men involved in sectarian killings

Karachi 

Police, assisted by an intelligence agency and the CPLC, arrested four alleged terrorists belonging to the banned religious outfit, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Aalmi, on Tuesday, who were said to be involved in a number of sectarian killings in the city.

In a statement, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) said that the four men put up resistance before they were captured during a raid on a house situated near Disco Morr in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

The suspected terrorists were identified as Syed Kashif Ali, Syed Alam Ali Shah, Azhar Hussain Malik alias Zeeshan alias Babar and Abdul Adeel alias Shahrukh.

The law enforcers seized police uniform and caps, two light machineguns, a Kalashnikov, two hand grenades, four pistols and 2,000 bullets, said the statement.

SSP Farooq Awan said that the suspects were affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Aalmi. 

During the initial interrogation, the suspects admitted that they used a police mobile and wore police uniform for committing kidnappings, murders and extorting money from citizens. 

With the money thus made, they said, they bought weapons. They also admitted that before their arrests they had been planning some high-profile kidnappings and acts of terrorism.

The commander of the gang was said to be Abu Sufiyan alias Maviya, who was involved in a number of terrorism cases countrywide, especially in Karachi.

Moreover, SSP Awan said, the LeJ men looted people who put up ads on OLX by pretending to be buyers. In all, they robbed 10 houses in Defence, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Nazimabad by using this method, he added.

The suspects were said to be also involved in kidnapping people during checking on roads and later looting their houses.

Syed Kashif Ali was said to have formed the terrorist outfit, Jundullah, in 2007 and killed several members of the Shia and Ahmedi communities. He told the interrogators that he committed those murders with the help of his associates.

SSP Awan said that in 2007 Ali along with his associates targeted Liaquat Hussain, principal staff officer to the vice president of National Bank of Pakistan near Lal Flats, Gulistan-e-Jauhar. During the same year, he had murdered Dr Hameedulah, a member of the Ahmedi community, in Quaidabad and Dara Feroz Mirza in 2007 in Karimabad. 

In a separate raid, the SIU arrested a man for being allegedly involved in the killing of a broker in the Al-Falah area.

SSP Awan said they had arrested Adeel Khan, son of Ishtiaq Khan, in Azeempura, Shah Faisal Colony. He said Adeel Khan was nominated in the murder case of Syed Farhan Ali, who was tortured and killed by his friends in his house.   An FIR was registered at the Al-Falah Police Station.

Watchman killed

A watchman was shot dead in the Super Highway Industrial Area police limits.

Khan Muhammad, 45, suffered fatal wounds when two men riding a motorcycle sprayed bullets on him near Faqeera Goth. The victim was performing his duty on a bicycle when he came under attack.

As the gunshots rang out, residents came out of their homes and found the watchman in a pool of blood. 

After being called to the scene, police arrived at the scene spoke to residents. The watchman was being taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in a critical condition when he breathed his last.  Police said the watchman was killed over some personal enmity.