‘Two TTP militants, Lyari gangster’ arrested

The police claimed on Thursday to have arrested two militants of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and a Lyari gangster in separate raids.

The Ibrahim Hyderi Police rounded up two alleged terrorists belonging to TTP, Ameer Zada Mukhlis and Taj Wali, and claimed to have recovered over a kilogramme of explosives and detonators from their possession.

The police said that both the terrorists were trained in Afghanistan and during initial investigation, they confessed to their involvement in carrying out attacks on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces in Afghanistan.

According to the police, in his confessional statement, Mukhlis said he joined the TTP in 2001 and has worked with Jahad Yar, Amin Janan, Mullah Usman Umme Salama, Mullah Abdullah, Haji Mir Rehman and Fazalur Rehman Abu Khalid, who were killed in separate encounters.

Taj Wali allegedly told the police that he had joined the TTP in 2009 and remained active in North Waziristan.

The arrested suspects were allegedly planning to carry out major terror activities in Karachi when the police arrested them. The cops lodged cases against the two and launched further investigation.

Separately, the Counter Terrorism Department claimed to have arrested Lyari gangster and son-in-law of slain notorious gangster, Rehman Baloch alias Rehman Dakait, in a raid on Thursday.

According to the CTD, the suspect, Shehryar, carried out target killings on the directives of Uzair Baloch, who is currently under trial at Karachi Central Jail.

Shehryar is accused of killing at least 10 people at the behest of Baloch. His victims include policeman Farooq who was killed in Pak Colony area.

The CTD said that the alleged target killer would dump the bodies of his victims in Lyari Nullah. Shehryar is also accused of collecting extortion money from citizens in Old Golimar and Lyari.

Further investigation was underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2021.