Arrested terrorist alleges Afghanistan-based banned outfit planned attacks with help of local facilitators
Five cases have been registered by the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in connection with the terrorist attack on a Rangers transport company in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar in which three Rangers personnel were martyred.
Investigators said an arrested terrorist claimed the attackers belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar outfit and revealed details of the alleged planning, facilitators and commanders behind the assault.
The main case was registered on the complaint of an officer posted at Rangers Transport Company (TC) Workshop.
According to the complainant, a suicide bomber detonated himself around 8 pm on June 27 at the main gate of the workshop and martyred three Rangers personnel stationed there at the site.
Read: Rangers foil attack on Karachi camp, three soldiers martyred
The complaint stated that when Rangers personnel advanced after the blast, three terrorists armed with automatic weapons entered the premises, opened indiscriminate fire and threw hand grenades during the attack.
The complainant said he and other Rangers personnel engaged the attackers while Rangers Special Force and Quick Response Force (QRF) also reached the spot.
According to the first information report, security personnel responded with official machine guns (SMGs) and killed two terrorists while a third attacker was injured and captured alive by Rangers personnel. The local police also arrived at the scene soon after.
The arrested terrorist identified himself as Usman alias Ali. An SMG, ammunition and a hand grenade were recovered from his possession.
During interrogation, the suspect identified his deceased co-conspirators as Umar, Abdul Hadi and suicide bomber Janan.
Investigators recovered an SMG, ammunition and magazines from Umar’s body, while Abdul Hadi was carrying an SMG, a double magazine and 16 cartridges.
Police also found 43 spent SMG grenades and seized an unexploded hand grenade from the scene. The Bomb Disposal Squad was called in while the attack caused extensive damage to government property and vehicles.
Also read: Pakistan summons Afghan envoy over terror attack on Rangers camp in Karachi
The martyred and injured Rangers personnel were taken to the hospital immediately after the attack. The arrested terrorist was later transported to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment.
During questioning, the suspect told investigators he was from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He claimed that Janan and Umar were also Afghan nationals, while Abdul Hadi was a Pakistani national from Bajaur who had long been associated with a terrorist organization in Afghanistan and had arrived in Karachi a week before the attack.
According to the investigation, the attackers stayed in a temporary safe house in Korangi with the help of local facilitators. They reconnoitred the Rangers’ workshop before launching the attack.
The suspect claimed that all four attackers belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar organization operating from Afghanistan. He alleged that commanders Umar Qari, Maulvi Ahrar and Abdul Wajid sent them to Pakistan to carry out the attack.
He further alleged that the commanders directed the group to inflict maximum casualties on Rangers personnel and disrupt peace and security.
The suspect also alleged that Afghanistan-based members of the organization – Mullah Tahir Afghani, Mullah Abdul Mannan and Umar Afridi – provided training for the attack.
The remaining four cases related to the attack were registered based on a complaint by a police officer.
The crackdown on ‘illegal’ Afghan residents is intensifying
Meanwhile, the crackdown on Afghan nationals staying illegally in Karachi’s Malir district intensified, with police arresting five Afghan nationals allegedly living illegally in a warehouse and booking the property’s owner for providing them accommodation.
Quaidabad police conducted an operation near Khyber Gali, Plastic Warehouse and Sher Pao Colony where they detained six people, including five Afghan nationals.
Read more: Terrorists must not be called ‘militants’ : Tarar
The arrested persons were identified as Abdul Hadi, Ayaz, Ehsanullah, Yaseen, Mohammad Akbar and Hassan Nawab. Police said one of those arrested was the owner of the warehouse where the Afghan nationals were allegedly staying.
A case has been registered against the five Afghan nationals under Section 14-D of the Aliens Act.
A separate case has also been registered against the warehouse owner under Section 11 of the Sindh Temporary Residence Act for allegedly providing accommodation to undocumented foreign nationals.
