KARACHI: Sindh Rangers on Sunday said that the recently emerged militant group Ansarul Shariah Pakistan (ASP) has lost its competence in carrying out a terror plot in the city after the last night encounter in which eight of its militants were killed.
Addressing a press conference here, Colonel Faisal Arif briefed the media about the raid.
“Most of the militants associated with Ansarul Shariah have been killed, [however] four of them are still at large,” the Rangers official informed.
The paramilitary troops and CTD personnel jointly carried out a targeted raid in Raees Goth of Baldia Town after receiving an intelligence tip-off about presence of ASP militants the area, Colonel Faisal told media.
He said that the group was comprised highly educated militants, who were ideologically associated with global terror outfit Al-Qaeda.
The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) traced the militants after effectively combing through the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) footage, garnered by various localities of the city.
The attack on Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) legislator Khawaja Izharul Hassan was a conspiracy to discredit the police as the militants clad in police uniforms were trying to give an impression that LEAs were behind the assassination attempt, the paramilitary official informed media.
In the light of Sept 2 footage, Colonel Faisal said that one of the attackers could be seen wearing a police uniform while another, Sarosh, in a white T-shirt.
“Police chased the attackers after the attack [who] were performing their duty at a nearby mosque,” the official added.
The LEAs conducted numerous raids across the city as the new information and evidences were obtained after the murder attempt on MQM-P leader on Sept 2, the Rangers official further said.
He said the group chief – identified as Sheheryar Warsi a.k.a Dr Abdullah Hashmi – had been killed in last night operation., adding that the militants were educated in Karachi varsities and went to Afghanistan to receive militant training.
