Pakistan

Karachi operation moves into higher gear

The force has appealed to Karachiites to call, SMS or email the Rangers if they have any information

Our Correspondent November 03, 2015

PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI: Two years after the Rangers launched a surgical operation to rid Karachi of terrorists and other criminals, the paramilitary force has announced that the campaign has entered the next phase.

In this phase, the Rangers will go after terrorists, contract killers and their facilitators, particularly those involved in attacks on law enforcers, security personnel, lawyers and witnesses, read a statement issued on Monday. The force has appealed to Karachiites to call, SMS or email the Rangers if they have any information on such criminals.

Terrorists targeting LEAs to be arrested in next phase of Karachi operation: Rangers

The Karachi operation was launched on September 5, 2013 on the orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after it was endorsed by a multiparty confab.

According to the paramilitary force’s two-year performance report, 10,353 suspects have been arrested in 5,795 raids since the campaign’s launch. “The detainees include 826 terrorists, 334 target killers and 296 extortionists.”

The Rangers said 364 terrorists associated with various banned organisations – including al Qaeda, different factions of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi – were also killed in gunfights with the force. “Up to 7,312 weapons and 348,978 cartridges have been seized in the past two years.”

First stage of Karachi security operation complete: Rangers

Twenty-seven Rangers soldiers have lost their lives in the past two years.

The city police has also killed more than 500 suspected terrorists and criminals and arrested over 70,000 more. Since the launch of the operation, 250 policemen have also lost their lives in the line of duty.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2015.

COMMENTS (13)

Ahmad | 8 years ago | Reply There are two things I don't understand. Where are all the arrested criminals/ terrorists being held? Why were those 500 individuals killed if they were only 'suspected' criminals/ terrorists? Please correct me where I am wrong.

Raisani | 8 years ago | Reply MQM used to be the Shiv Sena of Karachi. Thanks to Pak Army for bringing peace in Karachi. But people want to see the logical end of self exiled Baal Thakrey sitting in London and remotely controlling Karachi's reins.

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S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply According to the Rangers’ statement quoted in the report, after two years of Karachi operation, the paramilitary force will now start second phase of the operation during which it will go after terrorists, contract killers and their facilitators, particularly those involved in attacks on law enforcers, security personnel, lawyers and witness. And that means that the Rangers operation will perhaps remain confined to Sindh province and will treat only the symptoms without curing the disease, unless of course some more phases are planned for that purpose, which seems unlikely in the present state of affairs. Perhaps the protests and manoeuvres by the Peoples Party, which would have had the tacit backing of PML-N leaders as well who would be just as apprehensive of the military-backed Rangers’ enthusiasm, had the desired effect. Karachiites remember that even the previous operations had brought some relief, which proved short-lived. However, in the absence of deep-rooted reforms, maybe the relief brought by the present operations will last a bit longer, but no more. And if the situation is exactly like this, it will be a great shock to be the people who had built up some hopes that the deep involvement of the army chief General Raheel Sharif in the national affairs will bring about some essential reforms in the political and administrative set up, which would put the country on sound foundations. Alas, those hopes seem to have been dashed. Karachi

Np | 8 years ago | Reply While number of terrorists killed or arrested is provided , there is no data on how many were convicted in the same period?

Qazi | 8 years ago | Reply They should do this without any announcement suddenly. Otherwise all culprit will runaway

A.Ahad | 8 years ago | Reply @Sharath Chandra: For security purposes.Since they are conducting raids against criminals and gangs in the city, their identities are at risk.

MAD | 8 years ago | Reply Kudis on the Karachi operation but the job is nowhere near complete. most groups still remain with their core organizational structure intact and could well emerge again if the operation is left incomplete. They need to be rooted out and their leaders taken to task

Hammad | 8 years ago | Reply Those martyred, are the actual heroes of this Pak Land. Salute to you all. Thanks is such a small word.

Moiuz | 8 years ago | Reply @Sharath Chandra: Its a costume globally used for commando action and also for some special operations.

Muhajir | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you Rangers! Please intensify the operation against criminals and also economic terrorists!!!

Sharath Chandra | 8 years ago | Reply Why are these policemen covering their faces like terrorists ?

Amir | 8 years ago | Reply When is the PML N turn going to come?

John | 8 years ago | Reply According to MQM and Altaf Hussain's apologists, Rangers only took action against MQM in Karachi and didn’t go after anyone. So by acting only and only against MQM, Rangers were able to bring down the crime rate by 70%.it’s not rocket science to see it was MQM which was responsible for 70 % of the crime in the city. Great work done by Rangers. Anyone who lives in Karachi and is not Altaf Hussain's apologist, can clearly see the difference this operation against MQM has made. More people are going out now with their families and the atmosphere of fear is gone. Even the business community is now testifying this. But MQM apologists will go to any length to discredit this operation as they can’t see this peace in Karachi since all their revenues were basically proceeds of crime. It’s something for which Altaf Hussain is being investigated in U.K as well.

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