Arrested terrorist claims banned Afghanistan-based organization planned attack with help of local facilitators
Five cases have been registered by the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in connection with the terrorist attack on a Rangers transport company at Gulistan-e-Jauhar in Karachi, in which three Rangers personnel were martyred.
Investigators said an arrested terrorist claimed the attackers belonged to the banned group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and revealed details about the alleged planning, facilitators and commanders behind the assault.
The main case was registered on the complaint of an officer posted at the Rangers Transport Company (TC) workshop.
According to the complainant, on June 27 around 8 p.m., a suicide bomber blew himself up at the main entrance to the workshop, killing three members of the Rangers stationed there.
Read: Rangers foil attack on Karachi camp, three soldiers martyred
The complaint said that as the Ranger personnel advanced after the blast, three armed terrorists carrying automatic weapons entered the premises, opened fire indiscriminately and threw hand grenades during the attack.
The complainant said he and other members of the Rangers attacked the attackers, while the Special Force and the Rangers’ Quick Response Force (QRF) also arrived at the scene.
According to the first information report, security personnel responded with official machine guns (SMG), killing two terrorists, while a third attacker was injured and captured alive by Ranger personnel. Local police also arrived on the scene shortly after.
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 suicide bomber Janan.
Investigators recovered an SMG, ammunition and magazines from Umar’s body, while Abdul Hadi was 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.
Read also: Pakistan summons Afghan envoy following terror attack on Rangers camp in Karachi
The martyred and injured Rangers members were taken to hospital immediately after the attack. The arrested terrorist was then taken to hospital by ambulance to receive 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 organization in Afghanistan and had arrived in Karachi a week before the attack.
According to the investigation, the attackers stayed in a temporary shelter in Korangi with the help of local facilitators. They carry out a reconnaissance of the Ranger workshop before launching the assault.
The suspect claimed that the four attackers belonged to the banned organization Jamaat-ul-Ahrar operating from Afghanistan. He alleged that commanders Umar Qari, Maulvi Ahrar and Abdul Wajid sent them to Pakistan to carry out the attack.
He further claimed that the commanders had asked the group to inflict maximum casualties on Rangers personnel and disrupt peace and security.
The suspect also alleged that members of the organization based in Afghanistan – Mullah Tahir Afghani, Mullah Abdul Mannan and Umar Afridi – provided training for the attack.
The other four cases related to the attack were registered based on a complaint filed by a police officer.
Crackdown on ‘illegal’ Afghan residents intensifies
Meanwhile, the crackdown on Afghan nationals residing illegally in Karachi’s Malir district intensified, with police arresting five Afghan nationals who were living illegally in a warehouse and ordering the owner of the property to provide them with accommodation.
Quaidabad police carried out an operation near Khyber Gali, Plastic Warehouse and Sher Pao Colony, where they arrested six people, including five Afghan nationals.
Learn more: Terrorists should not be called “militants”: Tarar
Those arrested 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 located.
A case has been registered against the five Afghan nationals under Section 14-D of the Foreigners Act.
A separate case was also registered against the warehouse owner under Section 11 of the Sindh Temporary Residency Act, for allegedly providing accommodation to undocumented foreign nationals.
