Round them up: Police arrest gangsters and terrorists among others

The six-man terrorist gang confessed to planning a major attack.

KARACHI:

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) police claimed to have busted a gang of robbers during a raid in Qayyumabad on Saturday.

Gangsters identified as Hamza Ali, Zahid Hussain, Tariq aka Raju, Barkat Bugti and Shahnawaz Bugti were arrested along with weapons by the SIU police from Korangi. Their arrests were disclosed during a press conference held by the SIU chief, SP Farooq Awan, at his office.

SP Awan said that the suspects have so far robbed several citizens in Korangi and Qayyumabad and their surrounding areas, especially during the night. The suspects recently killed a woman who, along with her family, was returning home after enjoying a picnic at Sea View. The gangsters opened fire when the driver did not stop the vehicle, he revealed. The officer said that two of the men arrested - Ali and Tariq - had also been arrested earlier but were released on bail, adding that the police were trying to arrest the ringleader of the gang.

Police investigators also claimed on Saturday that a group of terrorists arrested by the Zaman Town police have revealed that they were planning a major attack in Karachi.

Six terrorists - Wahid Buksh Noor Ahmed, Barkat Azmat Khan, Fateh Sultan Muhammad, Siraj Haji Gul, Junaid Abdul Ghaffor and his brother, Abdul Qayyum - were arrested after an exchange of fire with the Zaman Town police. A Kalashnikov, five pistols and a large stash of ammunitions, including 70 steel bullets, were recovered from their possession.

District East SSP Pir Muhammad Shah said that the suspects belonged to Quetta and had recently arrived in Karachi, adding that they were arrested during a raid in Korangi. During the initial interrogation, the suspects confessed that they had arrived in the city to carry out a terrorist attack. Further investigations are underway.

Meanwhile, at least six workers of a political party were detained during a joint raid by the police and the Rangers in Ranchore Line and Kharadar. Police sources claimed that the suspects were taken into custody along with weapons and were shifted to undisclosed location for further questioning.

The Bilal Colony police have also arrested two suspects, Hazrat Jamal and Dilawar. Police officials said that the suspects were involved in several cases of street crimes, adding that two pistols were also recovered from their possession and that further investigations are underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2014.