Senate committee supports continuation of Karachi operation

ISLAMABAD (INP): The Senate Standing Committee on Interior was briefed here on Monday that more than a thousand criminals had been arrested including 560 members of the MQM in Karachi operation so far.

The meeting, chaired by Talha Mehmood, was also told that 539 members of the Amn Committee and 40 of the ANP were also arrested by Rangers during the Karachi operation.

Colonel Tahir Mehmood of Rangers also told that 60 members of the TTP and 352 militants of other banned outfits were also arrested ever since the operation was started in the city.

Colonel Tahir said they arrested three target killers during the raid on the MQM office at Gulshan-e-Maymar. Other eight accused were wanted to police in different cases, he said.

He told the committee that the Rangers were patrolling in Gulshan-e-Maymar when they heard firing from a nearby illegal building. 23 suspects were arrested after a search operation was conducted, 12 were handed over to Faisal Sabzwari and Sagheer Ahmed. Three involved in target killing and narcotics sales were sent to jail. Eight were fugitives and were handed over to the police.

Colonel Tahir Mehmood said that extortion has decreased in the city. Giving details, the law enforcement agency conducted 373 raids at MQM workers and captured 241 arms, Rangers official said.

He said Rangers conducted 396 raids over People’s Aman Committee arresting 539 workers and captured 591 illegal weapons.

Colonel Mehmood said that 403 targeted raids were conducted against outlawed TTP, and 760 suspects were arrested and 600 arms captured from their possession.

Moreover, 169 raids were conducted against other banned outfits, 352 suspects were arrested with 463 weapons, he said.

About operation in Lyari, he told incidents of kidnapping and extortion have reduced by 55% since the beginning of the operation.

The Senate Standing Committee said the operation in Karachi should continue without any discrimination till crime is eliminated from the city. The committee has directed that if a political worker is arrested the party should be informed of their name.

According to the colonel, the TTP were not getting the opportunity to regroup, however, their presence still remained in the city. MQM’s Senator Syed Tahir Mushahadi blamed that Rangers in Karachi are involved in illegal activities including land mafia and water mafia.