Police arrest three accused of facilitating LeJ

Suspects belonged to a group responsible for killing two police officials, says East Zone SSP

KARACHI: Police claimed to have arrested three alleged facilitators of the banned outfit, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, in a joint raid conducted with an intelligence agency within the limits of  Soldier Bazar police station. The arrests were announced in a press conference by East Zone SSP Ghulam Azfar Mahesar, who identified the arrested accused as Sirajul Haq, Sakina Naz alias Naz, and Rashid Hussain Ansari. Police seized two pistols, two awan bombs and a motorcycle, allegedly used in criminal activities, from their possession.

Mahesar said that the arrested belonged to a group led by Mumtaz, alias Firaun, of the banned outfit, adding that the same group was responsible for killing two police officials, Ahmed Ali and Allah Dino, last month. The officials were killed in a firing incident in Mominabad, Orangi Town. The group identified as Laskar-e-Jhangvi's district West group is involved in extortion and killed many who refused to pay money.

Mumtaz, along with his accomplice, Ahmed Ali alias Munna, had escaped from Karachi's Central Jail three years ago, said Mahesar, adding that Mumtaz had been living in hiding in Gulshan-e-Zia for the past five months. He had disguised his appearance and was living at the residence of one of his accomplices, Afroze, who is imprisoned in Sukkur Jail, he said. Mumtaz had fled to Afghanistan right after his escape from Karachi's Central Jail and on his return, his younger brother, Muqeem alias Shan, had taken him to the Naz's house where he had stayed for a certain period of time.

The East Zone SSP said that Naz has identified two target killers from CCTV footage. She identified one of them, a pillion rider wearing a cap, as Mumtaz, he said. Naz identified the other rider as Mamnun alias Samir. According to Mahesar, Naz has revealed during investigation that her younger brother, Zainul Abidin alias Zain, was also a part of a target killing team.

Among the other arrested, Rashid is allegedly a close associate of Mumtaz and accused of extortion. Reportedly, Rashid used to extort money on the orders of Mumtaz and accompanied his family on their visits to jail to meet him. It is claimed that Rashid had met Mumtaz a few days before the killing of two police officials in Mominabad.

The third arrested suspect, Siraj, Naz's ex-husband, is also accused of being an accomplice of Mumtaz. It is reported that he was in contact with Mumtaz as well as Zain.

The arrested, along with Mumtaz, Mamnun, Areeb and Zain belonged to a target killing team of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, while Shan and Ahmed Ali were a part of another target killing team of the banned outfit.

Soldier Bazar police have released pictures of the target killers and facilitators of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and are conducting raids in different areas of the city to arrest the other suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2019.