CTD opens five fronts in Rangers attack probe

Five cases have been registered by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Sindh in connection with the terrorist attack on a Rangers transport company in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, in which three Rangers personnel were martyred. Investigators say an arrested terrorist has claimed the attackers belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar outfit and revealed details of the alleged planning, facilitators and commanders behind the assault.

The primary and main case was registered on the complaint of an officer posted at the Rangers Transport Company (TC) Workshop. According to the complainant, around 8pm, on June 27, a suicide bomber detonated himself at the workshop's main gate, killing three Rangers personnel stationed there - Havaldar Riaz, Sepoy Dawood Parvez and Sepoy Abdul Qadeer - on the spot.

The complaint states that as Rangers personnel moved forward following the blast, three armed terrorists carrying automatic weapons entered the premises, opened indiscriminate fire and hurled hand grenades during the attack.

The complainant said he and other Rangers personnel engaged the attackers, while the Rangers Special Force and Quick Response Force (QRF) also reached the scene.

According to the FIR, security personnel responded with official submachine guns (SMGs), killing two terrorists, while a third attacker was wounded and captured alive by Rangers personnel. Local police also arrived at the scene shortly afterwards.

The arrested terrorist identified himself as Usman alias Ali. An SMG, ammunition and a hand grenade were recovered from his possession.

During interrogation, the suspect identified his deceased accomplices as Umar, Abdul Hadi and the suicide bomber Janan.

Investigators recovered an SMG, ammunition and magazines from Umar's body, while Abdul Hadi was found carrying an SMG, a double magazine and 16 rounds of ammunition.

Police also recovered 43 spent SMG shell casings and seized an unexploded hand grenade from the scene. The Bomb Disposal Squad was called in, while the attack caused extensive damage to government property and vehicles.

The martyred and injured Rangers personnel were shifted to hospital immediately after the attack. The arrested militant was later transported to hospital by ambulance for medical treatment.

During interrogation, the suspect told investigators that he was from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He claimed that Janan and Umar were also Afghan nationals, while Abdul Hadi was a Pakistani citizen from Bajaur who had long been associated with a terrorist organisation in Afghanistan and had arrived in Karachi a week before the attack. According to the investigation, the attackers stayed at a temporary safe house in Korangi with the assistance of local facilitators and carried out reconnaissance of the Rangers workshop before launching the assault.

The suspect claimed that all four attackers belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar organisation operating from Afghanistan. He alleged that commanders Umar Qari, Maulvi Ahrar and Abdul Wajid dispatched them to Pakistan to carry out the attack.

He further claimed that the commanders instructed the group to inflict maximum casualties on Rangers personnel and disrupt peace and security.

The suspect also alleged that Afghanistan-based members of the organisation - Mullah Tahir Afghani, Mullah Abdul Mannan and Umar Afridi - provided training for the attack.

The remaining four cases related to the attack were registered on the complaint of a police officer.

Crackdown on 'illegal' Afghan residents intensifies

The crackdown against Afghan nationals residing illegally in Karachi's Malir district intensified, with police arresting five Afghan nationals allegedly living unlawfully in a warehouse and booking the property's owner for providing them accommodation.

Quaidabad police conducted an operation near Khyber Gali, the Plastic Warehouse and Sher Pao Colony, where they detained six individuals, including the five Afghan nationals.

The arrested individuals were identified as Abdul Hadi, Ayaz, Ehsanullah, Yaseen, Mohammad Akbar and Hassan Nawab. Police said one of those arrested was the owner of the warehouse where the Afghan nationals were allegedly staying.

A case has been registered against the five Afghan nationals under Section 14-D of the Foreigners Act.

A separate case has also been registered against the warehouse owner under Section 11 of the Sindh Temporary Residence Act for allegedly providing accommodation to undocumented foreign nationals.