CTD reveals SRA links with BLA

KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Tuesday to have arrested two militants associated with proscribed outfit Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA).

Addressing a press conference, CTD chief Umar Shahid said Mumtaz Soomro, one of the militants, was arrested outside a foreign restaurant at Karachi’s Tariq Road the other day. The suspect wanted to target the restaurant owner’s car as explosives planted on a motorcycle and a remote control were recovered following information provided by him, the DIG added.

Umar Shahid said the CTD later arrested suspect Javed Mangrio on information disclosed by Soomro. He revealed a hand grenade and explosive material were recovered from Mangrio, who he said, is SRA’s Karachi commander.

During interrogation, both suspects made startling revelations, the CTD head said. “They supplied arms to the BLA terrorists behind the PSX attack. Four Kalashnikovs and bullets were provided on the order of Commander Sajjad,” he disclosed.

In addition to that, he said the suspects were involved in multiple attacks, including on the Rangers personnel, a Jamaat-e-Islami rally in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal, and PTI leader Haleem Adil Shaikh’s train march.

“The SRA was being supported from Afghanistan,” the CTD chief further revealed, adding “SRA ringleader Asghar Shah is in Afghanistan and has contacts with the country’s spy agency. Mumtaz Soomro also got training in Afghanistan.”