Asim Capri. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: The Sindh police have arrested two terrorists from a proscribed sectarian militant group, calling them masterminds of nearly 28 high-profile terrorist attacks, including the murder of qawwal maestro Amjad Sabri and two soldiers of Pakistan Army.



“This is an important breakthrough and the credit goes to Karachi police, particularly to the Counter-Terrorism Department’s Raja Omar Khattab who, along with his team, has finally arrested a gang involved in 28 high-profile cases of terrorism,” Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced at a hurriedly called news conference in the Central Police Office on Monday, where IG AD Khawaja was also present.



“Their weapons have also been recovered. After a probe and forensic investigation, we have found conclusive proof of their involvement in 28 cases,” Shah added.



According to the CTD, the ‘hardcore’ militants — Asim Capri and Ishaq alias Bobby — belong to the Naeem Bukhari group of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) sectarian extremist outfit and are involved in a recent wave of ‘sectarian killings’, as well as the June 22 killing of Sabri. The terrorists are also allegedly involved in attacks on police, Rangers, military personnel, lawyers and workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.



Shah said the terrorists were not affiliated with any political party. “They belong to a proscribed outfit. Asim Capri was a neighbour of Sabri and had killed the qawwali maestro for having ties with the Shia community and for attending their majalis.”



According to police record, Asim Capri was one of those arrested along with five other suspected militants by slain CTD officer Chaudhry Aslam on July 11, 2013 for his alleged involvement in the killing of MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi.



Capri, who was also charged with 25 other sectarian killings, had been transferred from Karachi Central Jail to Sukkur Jail on May 8, 2014. “However, he was released from Sukkur jail in seven cases on March 20, 2015,” confirmed CTD in-charge Khattab, adding that later he rejoined the terrorist gang.



The Sindh police have arrested two terrorists from a proscribed sectarian militant group, calling them masterminds of nearly 28 high-profile terrorist attacks, including the murder of qawwal maestro Amjad Sabri and two soldiers of Pakistan Army.



“This is an important breakthrough and the credit goes to Karachi police, particularly to the Counter-Terrorism Department’s Raja Omar Khattab, who, along with his team, has finally arrested a gang involved in 28 high-profile cases of terrorism,” Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced at a hurriedly called news conference in the Central Police Office on Monday, where IG AD Khawaja was also present.



“Their weapons have also been recovered. After a probe and forensic investigation, we have found conclusive proof of their involvement in 28 cases,” Shah added.



According to the CTD, the ‘hardcore’ militants – Asim Capri and Ishaq alias Bobby – belong to the Naeem Bukhari group of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) sectarian extremist outfit and are involved in a recent wave of ‘sectarian killings’ as well as the June 22 killing of Sabri. The terrorists are also allegedly involved in attacks on police, Rangers, military personnel, lawyers and workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.



Shah said the terrorists were not affiliated with any political party. “They belong to a proscribed outfit. Asim Capri was a neighbour of Sabri and had killed the qawwali maestro for having ties with the Shia community and for attending their majalis.”



According to police record, Asim Capri was one of those arrested along with five other suspected militants by slain CTD officer Chaudhry Aslam on July 11, 2013 for his alleged involvement in the killing of MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi.



Capri, who was also charged with 25 other sectarian killings, had been transferred from Karachi Central Jail to Sukkur Jail on May 8, 2014. “However, he was released from Sukkur jail in seven cases on March 20, 2015,” confirmed CTD in-charge Khattab, adding that later he rejoined the terrorist gang.



“This time Asim and Ishaq were arrested from Liaquatabad neighbourhood,” he added.



The two men are accused of recent sectarian killings, murder of five people during a women’s majlis in Nazimabad on October 29, hand grenade attack at Dar-e-Abbas Imambargah in FC Area on October 17 and killing of two military personnel near Parking Plaza in Saddar on July 26.



They also allegedly killed two military policemen at Tibet Centre on December 1, 2015, seven policemen guarding polio teams in Orangi Town on April 20, 2016, four Rangers personnel in Baldia Town on Nov 20, 2014 and two traffic wardens at Ayesha Manzil on May 21, 2016. They also allegedly gunned down Sindh High Court advocate Ameer Haider Shah on August 29, 2015.



According to police record, the police, during ongoing Rangers-led surgical operation which started in September 2013, registered more than 50 ‘high profile’ cases.



These cases included May 2015 Safoora Goth carnage, which claimed lives of 45 people belonging to the Ismaili community and the assassination of prominent social worker Sabeen Mahmud in April 2015.These two are among nearly 20 high-profile cases which have already been solved by the police.



But the fate of more than two dozen cases including the killing of Amjad Sabri, and army and Rangers’ troops was unresolved. Apparently the mystery surrounding these cases has been solved by the recent arrests.



CM dispels impression of one-sided crackdown



The chief minister dispelled the impression that a particular community was being targeted in the Karachi operation, adding that action was being taken against all terrorists.



Talking with reference to the arrest of Shia leaders, Shah said former PPP senator Faisal Raza Abidi was detained for possessing illegal weapons while Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leader Mirza Yousuf was arrested in different cases already registered against him.



“Now, we have to probe and arrest the suspects involved in the Nov 4 killings,” he added.



Shia community takes to the streets



Tension gripped the city on Monday as clashes erupted between law enforcers and members of the Shia community who were protesting against the arrests of their leaders.



Two days after the arrests of Shia leaders Abidi and Mirza Yousuf, a large number of protesters took to the streets and staged sit-ins, blocking the National Highway in Malir.



The situation spiralled out of control when the police and protesters clashed in Malir and on Numaish Chowrangi. During the clashes, over one dozen people sustained injuries and the law enforcers rounded up around 15 activists of the MWM. At least four policemen were also injured.



Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2016.