Police arrest three ‘TTP terrorists’

Police claimed arresting three terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the city on Saturday.

Syed Muhammad Usman alias Hafiz Usman was arrested during a raid conducted in the Hawksbay area of Mauripur Colony by a team of the Crime Investigation Agency’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

SIU SSP Tariq Razzak Dharejo said the team seized two hand grenades and a pistol from Usman’s possession. 

He said the suspect had brought explosive material from Quetta to Karachi in 2013 and handed it over to an accomplice, Abdul Rehman. He added that Rehman was gunned down in an encounter with law enforcement agencies in 2015.

SSP Dharejo hoped that the suspect would make more revelations during interrogation in the coming days.

Separately, New Karachi Industrial Area police arrested two TTP militants.

New Karachi Division Superintendent of Police (SP) Shabbir Baloch said cops intercepted a Suzuki pickup without a number plate during snap-checking, but the suspects riding in the vehicle tried to escape away.

The police gave a chase and stopped the vehicle, in which they found three rocket launchers and five landmines hidden inside clothes.

SP Baloch said the suspects identified themselves as Muhammad Sultan, son of Aziz, and Abdur Rehman alias Shakir, son of Haji Muhammad.

He the vehicle had been snatched at gunpoint in the Sharifabad police jurisdiction and the owner had registered an FIR.

One TT pistol along with four bullets and an extra magazine with four bullets were found on the suspects, who told police during interrogation that they were associated with a TTP faction.

He added that the two were planning to carry out a big terror activity in the coming days, but timely police action saved the city.

Police registered an FIR under sections 4/5 of the Explosives Act and Article 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Another FIR was lodged on behalf of the state under Section 23(1)A against the suspects for carrying an unlicensed weapon. 

Rangers arrest four men

The paramilitary force arrested four men, including an activist of a political party, on Saturday for being allegedly involved in heinous crimes.

The Sindh Rangers’ spokesman said paramilitary soldiers conducted an intelligence-based raid in the Darakhshan area and caught Ikram alias Ganja.

The suspect is said to be associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London and involved in extortion and the sale and purchase of illegal weapons.

In swoops conducted in Frere and Preedy areas, paramilitary soldiers arrested Ikram Ali, Anwar Ali and Syed Mohammad Umber Raza Zaidi.

The spokesman said Ikram Ali and Anwar were notorious criminals and wanted in a number of robbery and street crime cases, and Zaidi was involved in the sale and purchase of stolen vehicles.

Weapons and looted items were seized from the possession of the three, who were handed over to police for further legal proceedings.

A day ago, the Transnational Terrorists Intelligence Group (TTIG) of Sindh’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) announced the arrest of an activist of the MQM-London’s militant wing.

TTIG In-Charge Raja Umer Khattab said the suspect, Waseem Ahmed alias Waseem Double, was arrested after a brief encounter at Mehran Town, Korangi.  

Khattab said the man was associated with the MQM-L militant wing and the raiding party had recovered a cache of weapons that he had dumped in the same area. The recovered arms include four repeater rifles, three pistols, a Kalashnikov and more than 400 bullets of different calibres, he added.

Khattab said the suspect was also an employee of the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board. But he was drawing salary without attending the office, he added.  The man had also managed to get fake arms licenses and provided them to the party’s unit offices, he said.