Two JSQM men held for IED attacks on Chinese workers

Two activists of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) alleged to be involved in attacks on Chinese nationals in the city were among 10 suspects arrested by the Sindh Rangers on Wednesday. 

A spokesman for the paramilitary force said a team conducted an intelligence-based targeted raid in the city’s Steel Town area and, after resistance, managed to arrest two men identified as Asif Ali alias Asif Baloch and Asghar Ali alias Asghar Tracker. 

The accused were shifted to the Rangers headquarters for questioning and, as per the spokesman, they admitted to their affiliation with JSQM and their involvement in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts targeting Chinese nationals in the Steel Town area.

There have been two IED blasts in the locality – the first in May 2016 and the second on July 10 this year – and both targeted a convoy of vehicles transporting Chinese engineers.

There were no casualties or damages to property reported in the blast that occurred in July this year, while a Chinese engineer and his Pakistani driver had suffered minor injuries in a similar low-intensity IED blast in the nearby Gulshan-e-Hadeed area on May 30, 2016. 

Investigators had said that apart from the close proximity there were other apparent similarities between the two blasts, as both IEDs contained 500 grams of explosives and both targeted vehicles transporting Chinese nationals.  

While the IED used in 2016 was concealed within a cement block placed on a green belt, this time around it had been buried underground.

Following the July 2017 attack, Malir SP Dr Najeeb Khan had said that a group identifying itself as the Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA) had claimed responsibility for the blast. 

A case under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) had also been lodged with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on behalf of the Steel Town police.  

More arrests

In a targeted raid in the Nazimabad area, the Rangers arrested a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement identified as Arshad alias Charlie. The accused, as per the Rangers, had close links with notorious target killers of the MQM, Waseem Bakhsi and Abid, and was involved in buying weapons for the party and cases of extortion, forceful collection of hides and closure of shops. 

In raids conducted in Steel Town and Nazimabad, the paramilitary force arrested seven accused identified as Ghulam Asghar, Amjad, Pervez Ali, Mohammed Jaru, Babar, Mohammed Arshad and Mohammed Salman.  All the men are accused of involvement in kidnappings for ransom, extortion cases, armed robberies and street crimes.