KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) says all suspects and facilitators involved in the attack on the KTC Rangers Camp in Karachi have been arrested, while the investigation is still underway.
Speaking at a press conference with Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar and IG Sindh Javed Alam Odho, CTD officials said the entire network behind the attack has been identified.
According to the CTD, the attack was carried out by the banned militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which they said had become active again in Karachi. Officials claimed the attackers received support and instructions from their leadership based in Afghanistan.
CTD officials said the attacker Janaan was from Afghanistan’s Farah province, while another attacker, Bilal, was originally from Bajaur but had been living in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. Another arrested suspect, Usman, is said to be from Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
SSP CTD Irfan Bahadur said the attack was planned in four stages. He claimed the attackers were selected and trained in Afghanistan before being sent to Pakistan, where local facilitators helped arrange weapons and suicide jackets.
The CTD said Usman alias Sher Muhammad was arrested while injured. Officials also said Rangers arrested Qari Bashir during an intelligence-based operation, and he allegedly admitted to helping plan the attack.
CTD officials further claimed that the investigation found links between the arrested suspects and India.
Earlier, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said three of the four attackers were Afghan nationals, while one was from Bajaur. He said the attackers’ handlers were operating from Afghanistan and that the attack was intended to spread fear among the public.
