Sindh

Rangers arrest six political workers

A huge cache of weapons was also displayed before the media

Our Correspondent August 10, 2015

A huge cache of weapons recovered from the suspects. PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI: Hours after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) withdrew its call for a shutter-down strike in Karachi over a party worker's killing when the Sindh Rangers chief gave assurance of his full cooperation in the apprehension of the suspects involved in the murder, the paramilitary force claimed to have arrested six alleged notorious target killers-cum-extortionists affiliated with the political party during the ongoing operation in Ranchore Lane.

The arrests were disclosed at the Rangers' Mitha Ram Hostel on Monday evening, where Rangers officials informed the media about the criminal activities of the arrested men, allegedly belonging to the MQM.

The suspects were identified as Khurram alias Machchar, Mehmood, Shahid alias Kala, Mobin, Zubair alias Handi and Kashif alias Macha. Among other weapons, Rangers officials also claimed to have recovered 14 sub-machineguns (SMGs), six pistols, five kilogrammes of explosives and hundreds of ammunitions from their possession.

Rangers officials said that Khurram alias Machchar was involved in extortion, dumping of weapons and target killing. They added that Mehmood is an active worker of MQM Unit 20. Earlier, he was arrested in November 2014 while currently he was on bail. During initial investigation, he confessed to 47 murders and his involvement in kidnapping and torture.

Shahid alias Kala confessed to have killed at least six people during initial interrogation, while Mobin also confessed to numerous target killings, extortion, arson, rioting and other heinous crimes.

Zubair was also accused of being involved in armed clashes with a Lyari-based gang and Sunni Tehreek, rioting, murders after kidnappings, robberies, during which two security guards were killed in Azizabad in 2013, and extortion. Kashif was associated with MQM Unit 30 and was involved in various cases of target killings and extortion, the Rangers official added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2015.