Targeted operation: Over two dozen suspects arrested after clash

Rangers recover a huge cache of arms and ammunition from Old City areas

KARACHI: Over two dozen suspects were apprehended during overnight targeted operations in Shah Faisal Colony by law enforcers after two groups clashed with each other while Rangers claimed to have recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunitions from Karachi's Old City areas on Monday.

Gulfam alias Hashim, a worker of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement - Haqiqi (MQM-H) was killed and his companion, Javed, and a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker, Wajahat, were wounded during a clash between the workers of the two political parties on Sunday night. The injured MQM worker, however, was caught red-handed.

Following the clash, a District East police team conducted an overnight targeted operation to apprehend the workers of both the parties involved in the clash and took 33 suspects into custody. An extra contingent of law enforcers also participated in the overnight operation. The suspects were later shifted to different police stations. However, most of them were later released after they were found uninvolved.

"All the detainees were released after they were found uninvolved [in criminal activities]," said Shah Faisal Colony SHO Babar Hameed. "Actually, those who clashed with each other were friends and used to live in the same area. They clashed over a personal matter but it later turned into a political issue."

On the other hand, the paramilitary force claims to have recovered a huge cache of arms and weapons during different raids in Bheempura and Lyari neighbourhoods. The arms and weapons recovered included 14 sub-machineguns (SMGs), five rifles, eight pistols, 14 hand grenades, 41 Awan bombs and hundreds of ammunitions. Rangers officials said that the recoveries were made following information provided by the already arrested suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2015.