Daily Times

KARACHI: At least eight suspected militants, said to be affiliated with Ansarul Sharia Pakistan (ASP), were killed after a shootout with the Rangers and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel in Baldia Town on Saturday night, said police on Sunday.

Police officials said the paramilitary troops and CTD personnel jointly carried out a targeted raid in Raees Goth of Baldia Town after receiving an intelligence tip-off of ASP militants’ presence in the area. After seeing the security personnel, the militants fired at them and tried to escape, police said.

In retaliatory firing, five suspects died on the spot and three others succumbed to their injuries while they were being taken to a hospital, police added. The Rangers spokesperson said one of the paramilitary personnel and two CTD personnel were also injured in the gunfire.

Arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the killed militants, he added.

Identification of the dead was said to be ongoing, with two of the militants identified as ASP chief Sheheryar, alias Dr Abdullah Hashmi, who was also named as the mastermind of all ASP attacks. Another suspect identified as Arsalan Baig was member of the group’s ‘target killing team’, the spokesman said. He said Rangers would give further details at a press briefing.

A day earlier, police claimed to have foiled a major terror plot in the metropolis after recovering explosives and weapons from a vehicle during snap checking. Police said the explosives were stashed inside a vehicle carrying garments. Three rockets and five mine bombs were seized during the snap checking at industrial area of New Karachi, SP Shabbir Baloch claimed.

He said the police were conducting their routine snap checking when it tried to intercept a garments-laden vehicle. The driver did not stop, however, police managed to halt the vehicle after a chase, the cop claimed.

Two suspected militants affiliated with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were also claimed to have been arrested. The arrested suspects were identified as Muhammad Sultan and Abdul Rehman alias Shakir who were also booked in a case under anti-terrorism sections, police said.

Published in Daily Times, October 23^rd 2017.