ISLAMABAD: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Sindh said on Wednesday it had arrested two militants in Karachi, one of whom planned to carry out a “terrorist” attack in the city during the Eid Al-Adha festival.
The CTD said it arrested two suspects, Allah Dino son of Ghulam Muhammad, and Faraz Ahmed Soomro, son of Bashir Ahmed, from Karachi.
“The suspect Allah Dino son of Ghulam Muhammad was bringing explosive material from Gwadar to Karachi by bus on the instructions of his organization in order to carry out terrorist activities in Karachi during Eid-ul-Adha,” the CTD press release said.
It added that Dino was arrested from the Hub River Road bus terminal in Karachi’s Yousuf Goth area.
The CTD said both militants were members of the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA), a separatist militant outfit known for its violent activities aimed at promoting Sindhi nationalism.
Police found 10 explosive devices and materials, two non-electric detonators and eight meters of safety fuse from Dino, the CTD press release said.
A case was registered against the suspect under Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908 and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
Meanwhile, Soomro was arrested in Karachi’s District East. The CTD said that the suspect, along with three other accomplices Waqar Khushk, Nabeel Ahmed Gabol and Wazir Ali Khushk, attacked a dental clinic in Karachi in September 2022 to target Chinese nationals.
Ronald Raimond Chow, who worked as an assistant to a dentist named Dr. Richard Hu, was killed in the attack. Dr. Hu and his wife, who were running the clinic, were also injured. All three were Chinese-Pakistani dual nationals.
While the other accused had been arrested, the CTD said Soomro had gone into hiding at an undisclosed location and was declared a proclaimed offender in the case.
A case against Soomro was registered under Section 23 (1-A) of the Sindh Arms Act 2013, while a pistol with five rounds was recovered from him.
“Interrogation of the suspects is underway and further revelations are expected,” the CTD said.
“Joint teams of CTD and federal intelligence agencies have been formed to arrest the suspects’ accomplices and target killers.”
The CTD said raids are being conducted to arrest the militants’ facilitators and other members of the network, adding that officials expected a “major breakthrough” soon.
