KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh, in collaboration with intelligence agencies, apprehended five suspected militants during raids at two locations in Karachi, a CTD spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
Details of the Arrests
The arrested suspects were identified as Imran Khan alias Shaukat, Zaheer Ahmed, Muhammad Riaz, Hujatullah, and Habibullah. According to the CTD, three of them were affiliated with the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), while the remaining two were linked to Fitna Al-Khawarij.
Authorities recovered five pistols, a quantity of ammunition, and two mobile phones from the suspects' possession.
Alleged Activities of BLA Suspects
The CTD claimed that the suspects associated with the BLA had conducted reconnaissance of sensitive locations on the instructions of a militant commander identified as Abdul Rehman. Additionally, suspect Zaheer Ahmed was allegedly involved in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Sajidi Bazaar, Gishkaur, Balochistan, in 2024, which resulted in injuries to Frontier Corps personnel. He was also accused of collecting extortion money in the area in the name of the banned outfit and receiving training at a militant camp during the same year.
Fitna Al-Khawarij Suspects
Regarding the two suspects linked to Fitna Al-Khawarij, the spokesperson stated that they had received training at a militant camp in Afghanistan in 2024 and had recently arrived in Karachi. They were alleged to have conducted reconnaissance of law-enforcement offices and shared the information with a commander identified as Hidayatullah. The suspects were reportedly waiting for the arrival of other militants from Afghanistan to execute terrorist plans.
The CTD further noted that the arrested suspects, allegedly linked to Fitna Al-Khawarij and Fitna Al-Hindustan, had been mentioned in various threat-alert reports.
Legal Proceedings
Separate cases have been registered against the suspects at the CTD police station, and further investigations are underway.
