Three 'car lifters' killed by accomplices in Islamabad shootout

Non-standard number plates, jammers, immobilizers, ignition breakers, SMGs, and pistols recovered

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Police engaged in a deadly encounter with a notorious inter-provincial car theft gang on Sunday that resulted in the deaths of three gang members while one female accomplice injured from the shootout was arrested.

Authorities had been tracking the gang for two months based on information from Safe City cameras and informants. They had intel that the gang was headed towards Murree, following which Special teams from Anti Vehicle Lifting Cell (AVLC), CRT, and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) had set up checkpoints in different areas.

As the gang's vehicles—a Toyota GLI and a Honda Civic—approached from Murree Road, police attempted to intercept them at the Kashmir Chowk . Suddenly, the gang members opened fire on the police teams. In the exchange, three of the gang members were killed by gunfire from their own partners.

One woman, identified as Hasiba Amjad, was injured during the shootout. The police managed to arrest her while the suspects in the GLI vehicle fled the scene.

The deceased were identified as Ilyas Khan and Waqas Khan, both known members of the car theft gang led by Ilyas Khan. They had recently stolen a car from Murree and were fleeing when intercepted.

Furthermore, the Honda Civic car stolen from Lahore was also seized. The police recovered multiple non-standard number plates, jammers, immobilizers, ignition breakers, sub-machine guns (SMGs), and pistols from the vehicle.

Police reinforcements quickly arrived at the scene, launching a manhunt for the remaining suspects who are wanted in several criminal cases.