Eight 'target killers' arrested

Policemen escort four draped men into a police station, after they were presented to media during a news conference in Karachi January 2, 2011. Karachi police on Sunday arrested eight people on the charge of target killing and stated that all the accused belonged to banned organizations, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

KARACHI: Police officials arrested eight suspects involved in target killings in the city on Sunday.

Speaking to the media, Karachi Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Fayyaz Leghari said that the suspects had been arrested near belonged to a banned outfit and had so far confessed to killing 12 people. The CCPO said that the suspects had been arrested near NED University.

They were arrested this  morning during a police encounter near NED university, with a fake number plate of the Government of Sindh. Five suspects were arrested earlier and interrogation of them led to the arrest of three others. The name of the leader of this group is Tanvir Abbas.

He said that the men had received training in the northern areas and Rs7 million had been spent on their training and acquisition of equipment. According to the CCPO, the group, which has been active since March 2009 and has around 18 members, is active in the areas of Orangi, Buffer Zone, Malir and New Karachi. The suspects were hired as target killers and were paid regular salaries.

Leghari said that a list of targets had also been recovered from the possession of the suspects.