KARACHI: Eight suspected terrorists were killed during an “encounter” jointly carried out by the Rangers and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Karachi’s Raees Goth area, officials said.
A Rangers press release claimed that the operation was carried out on the basis of technical intelligence and evidence after receiving a tip-off about the presence of Ansarul Sharia Pakistan (ASP) terrorists in the area.
According to the handout, identification of the dead is ongoing, with two of the suspected terrorists identified as the ASP chief Sheheryar, alias Dr Abdullah Hashmi, who was also named as the mastermind of all ASP attacks.
Another of the suspected terrorists was identified by the Rangers as Arsalan Baig, a member of the ASP’s target-killing team.
The Rangers press release claimed that a heavy exchange of fire took place during the raid, in which five of the suspected terrorists died on the spot. Three wounded succumbed to their injuries while being transported to the hospital.
A Rangers official told Dawn that one CTD personnel and two Rangers personnel sustained injuries during the encounter.
The Rangers also claimed to have seized explosive material, arms and ammunition from the alleged militant hideout.
According to various local media reports, Dr Abdullah Hashmi had been arrested during a raid in September.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Shah had claimed the arrests of high-profile militants in raids at the time, hinting at a “breakthrough”.
Although both Shah and law enforcement remained mum about the details of the arrests, various TV channels had reported the arrest of ASP chief Dr Abdullah Hashmi in a raid on his house in Kaneez Fatima Housing Society.
Though the police had neither confirmed nor denied the news reports on TV channels about Hashmi’s arrest, SSP Malir Rao Anwar had made a few claims lending strength to the reports of such a “success”.
