Illegal arms: Over 20 suspects held

Islamabad police conduct search operation in Bara Kahu after Charsadda attack

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Police and rangers on Saturday conducted a search operation on the capital’s outskirts and arrested over two dozen people, mostly for possession of illegal arms.

The search operation was carried out in different areas of Bara Kahu including Dhoke Abbasi, Nai Abadi and Kot Hathial under the supervision of SSP Ahmed Iqbal.

Iqbal told The Express Tribune that the police recovered three pistols, 32 kilograms of explosives, and equipment used in bombs during the operation, which started at 4:45 in the morning and ended around 10 am.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Operations SSP Sajid Kiani said the purpose of the operation was to ensure foolproof security in the city.

“After the terrorist attack in Charsadda, SPs and SHOs have been directed to increase patrolling in their respective areas. We’re also taking other measures to tighten security,” he shared.

Statistics show that from January 2010 to September 2015, Bara Kahu became a safe haven for criminals, illustrated by a steep rise in robberies, murder and attempted murder, rape, kidnappings, mugging and vehicle thefts.

The official claimed that migration of people from Azad Kashmir after the 2005 earthquake was a major cause in the increased crime rate. “In 2013, Nasiruddin Haqqani, the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani of the Haqqani Network, was killed in the same area, and the same year an explosives-laden car was also seized from there,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2016.