Four 'terrorists' killed as police hunt mastermind of Izharul Hassan attack

KARACHI: Four suspected terrorists, including the one involved in an attack on Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousifzai, were allegedly shot dead in a shootout as police hunted ‘the escaped mastermind’ of the attack on MQM leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan on Monday.

A policeman was martyred while another received bullet injuries when a terror suspect, who was behind the attack on the MQM leader, opened fire on them during a gun battle in Kaneez Fatima Society, according to SSP Malir Rao Anwar.

He said the police mounted a cordon following a tip-off that the terrorist was present in the area. On seeing police personnel, the suspect opened fire on them from the rooftop, leaving two personnel injured, one of whom died on the spot, he added.

Rao said the terror suspect managed to flee the raid and efforts are underway to arrest him. The suspect identified as Abdul Karim Sarosh Siddiqui, a student of the Applied Physics department at University of Karachi, was mastermind of the assassination attempt on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the police officer claimed.

He was associated with the banned outfit, Ansar ul Sharia Pakistan (ASP), he added.

He said six suspects, including Siddiqui’s father, were arrested from the premises of the building and were shifted to an unidentified place for interrogation. Several other suspects were also arrested from the area, he added.

Rao later claimed to have arrested ASP’s spokesperson during a raid in Defense area. He said the raid was carried out following the lead provided by the arrested father of Sarosh Siddiqui. The suspect was also involved in the assassination attempt on the MQM leader.

Four suspected terrorist killed in ‘shootout’

Meanwhile, four terror suspects, associated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Swat faction, were killed in a shootout with police personnel in Malir district’s Quetta Town, according to SSP Malir.

The killed terrorists included the cousin of TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah, Khursheed, who was involved in the attack on Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai, according to SSP Rao. He added the terrorist was also behind the attack on Qaidabad police.

On Saturday, MQM-P lawmaker Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan escaped an assassination attempt, but his security guard and a passer-by lost their lives in the attack.

Hassan had said the attackers were wearing helmets and putting on the police uniforms.

One of the assailants was killed in an exchange of fire but other three managed to escape. A teenager, said to be 14-year-old, lost his life alongside Hasan’s security guard, a police constable.