Ansar ul Shariah mostly comprises highly educated militants, reveals Chief

KARACHI: The head of militant group behind recent killings of policemen and assassination attempt on Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan has made startling revelations during interrogation, informed sources told ARY News on Wednesday.

Ansar ul Shariah chief Shehryar – alias Dr Abdullah Hashmi – told the investigators that Ansar ul Shariah was formed back in 2015 and made several attempts to link the group with global terror outfit Al-Qaeda after establishing contacts with one of its operative in Karachi named Abdullah Baloch.

However, he told the investigators that the group was asked to generate funds and operate by themselves, adding that Abdullah had been residing in Karachi till 2012 but left for Afghanistan following a raid at his residence.

He admitted receiving militancy training in Shorawak area of Helmand province, Afghanistan and his group comprised 10 to 12 people mostly students from University of Karachi, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, and NED University of Engineering and Technology.

He confessed his group targeting police personnel to receive recognition and prove its mettle in carrying out terror plot.

Commenting on slain assailant who attacked Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan, Shehryar said that Ahsan had too received militancy training from Afghanistan and was an electronic engineer.

The Ansar ul Shariah chief further told investigators that 27-year-old Ahsan s/o Waleed was a faculty member at Dawood University of Engineering & Technology and used to donate half of his salary to the organization.

It merits to mention here that 28-year-old Shehryar – aka Dr Abdullah Hashmi – was arrested during an overnight raid at Karachi’s Gulzar-e-Hijri on Monday.

He is an IT expert by profession and received his Master’s degree in Applied Physics from the University of Karachi (UoK).

Earlier, a high-level security official confirmed the arrest, claiming that more than six suspected terrorists were arrested in an intelligence-based operation conducted by security forces and intelligence agencies in Karachi on Monday night.

Sources further said that one of the arrested suspects was a graduate of a British university and the group comprised of highly educated militants.

Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday (today) said that suspects involved in attacks on police personnel in the metropolis have been arrested last night.

Talking to media persons here after attending a Defence Day ceremony, Shah said that Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have arrested suspects affiliated with three to four militant groups, who have been involved in target killings of police personnel.