Terrorists targeting LEAs to be arrested in next phase of Karachi operation: Rangers

Rangers say those involved in attacks on police, lawyers and witnesses will be apprehended in next phase of operation

KARACHI: Sindh Rangers announced on Monday the next phase of Karachi operation will apprehend terrorists suspected of involvement in attacks on personnel of law enforcement agencies (LEA), lawyers and witnesses.

The Rangers in a press release said terrorists, contract killers and their facilitators involved in attacks on LEA personnel "especially police, lawyers and witnesses" will be arrested in the new phase of the Karachi operation.

First stage of Karachi security operation complete: Rangers

Further, the paramilitary force requested citizens of Karachi to inform them regarding such elements on their 1101 helpline, through SMS, or via email at [e-mail].

The Karachi operation had been kicked off by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on September 5, 2013, to root out crime and terrorism from the megalopolis.

In August this year, the paramilitary force for the first time officially admitted that the operation would be stage wise.



According to a performance report released in July, the Rangers had claimed to have conducted 5,795 raids during which they had apprehended 10,353 suspects and recovered 7,312 weapons and 34,8978 rounds of ammunition. Prominent among the raids conducted were the ones on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters Nine-Zero and the offices of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

The report added that a total of 826 terrorists, 334 target killers, 296 extortionists were arrested during this period. The Rangers also expanded their sphere against kidnappers, arrested 82 abductors and securing the release of 49 people from their captivity.

The Rangers also traded fire with criminals, engaging in a total of 224 “encounters”. In these ‘encounters’, Rangers said that they had killed 364 suspected criminals and arrested 213 others.



The report further claimed that target killing in the city had dropped drastically by over 80%, with attacks dropping to under 10 in June 2015 after having peaked at 73 in December.