KARACHI: As many as four suspected terrorists were gunned down in what the police said was a shootout in Maliron Friday night. The encounter took place at Usman Khaskheli Goth in Malir when the police conducted a raid on the information of intelligence agencies about the presence of some militants affiliated with the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Dai’sh. Following the information, an extra contingent of the District police led by SSP Rao Anwar raided the hideout where, according to the police, they faced severe resistance. SSP Rao Anwar said, “the terrorists attacked the police force using hand-held grenades, however, no one from the police team was hurt in the exchange of fire.” He said the police retaliated and killed four suspected terrorists. The bodies of the deceased were later shifted to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth after medico-legal formalities completed at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. One of them was identified as Maulvi Ishaq and another just as Nazar. SSP Anwar said that Ishaq was a key commander of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, while Nazar Muhammad was the gunman of the former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakeemullah Mehsud. The remaining two men have yet to be identified. Malir SSP also claimed that the men killed in the incident were involved in various high-profile cases of terrorism including PNS Mehran attack, Karachi airport attack and the attack on the Imambargah on MA Jinnah Road, adding that besides high profile attacks, the suspects were also involved in various incidents of targeted killings of policemen, Rangers and military soldiers. The police also claim to have recovered three pistols, a rifle and a motorcycle from their possession. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
Published in Daily Times, January 14th 2018.