Law enforcers arrest 22 suspects during separate raids

The accused include target killers, members of banned outfits and drug peddlers

KARACHI: Law enforcement agencies claim to have arrested 22 more suspects, including target killers and members of banned outfits, during ongoing targeted raids and operations in parts of the metropolis on Saturday.

Sindh police counter-terrorism department apprehended three suspects, who were allegedly involved in politico-ethnic violence in the city. The accused were identified as Zahid Ali alias Ajay, Afzal Asghar and Tariq Aurangzeb. They were taken into custody during separate raids conducted on a tip-off at their hideouts in Jamshed Quarters and Korangi.

CTD official SSP Usman Bajwa claimed that the suspects belonged to a political party and Lyari gang war. They have been involved in various cases of abductions and killings during the conflicts between a political party and Lyari gang war in 2011 and 2012, the police said. The accused also confessed to carrying out bomb attacks on the rally led by Uzair Jan Baloch in the old city area in 2011, the police added. The officials also seized a huge cache of weapons from their possession. Cases against them have been registered and further investigation is underway.



On the other hand, the paramilitary force apprehended three alleged militants of a banned militant outfit. According to the Rangers spokesperson, the arrests were made when a raid was conducted at their hideout in Bilal Colony. The militants allegedly belong to banned militant outfit and weapons were also seized from their possession, the spokesperson added.

Separately, the police took two alleged members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Mujahideen into custody. SHO Ghulam Rasool Rajper said that the suspects, identified as Arshad and Mehboob, were arrested when the police conducted a raid on a tip-off. The police also seized weapons and a huge cache of narcotics from them, SHO said.

Meanwhile the Baldia Town police, during a series of raids in parts of Baldia Town, arrested nearly 14 drug peddlers. The police seized a huge cache of narcotics from them. Police officials said that cases have been registered against them and further investigation is underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2016.