Two terrorists, including the Karachi chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) who was also allegedly linked with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were killed in an alleged encounter with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on the night between Saturday and Sunday.
Shortly after the encounter, CTD officers including DIG Asif Aijaz Shaikh and Raja Umer Khattab, spoke to the media to share details. They said the two slain terrorists had been identified as Hafiz Qasim Abdur Rasheed and Usman Qureshi who were affiliated with the LeJ and had later also joined the TTP.
The officers said the encounter took place in the Shershah area where a CTD team had gone for a raid after receiving credible information about the presence of suspects who were involved in the murder of CTD officer DSP Ali Raza on July 7 this year.
The two terrorists were wanted by the police in over 35 cases, including the murder of DSP Raza, the officers said, adding that a target list had also been found with the terrorists indicating that they were planning more acts of sabotage in the city.
The CTD also claimed to have seized explosives, pistols, ball bearings and material used for making suicide vests from the slain men’s possession.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar praised the performance of the CTD DIG and his team following the successful operation. "The courageous actions of the CTD against anti-national and socially disruptive elements and those harbouring terrorist intentions are commendable," stated the home minister.
Rasheed's name came into the limelight when he was arrested for the first time on October 16, 2012. Then CID (now CTD) additional IG Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh, along with SP Fayyaz Khan, disclosed his arrest during a press conference at Civil Lines.
They revealed that Rasheed was a Sindh LeJ leader and accused him of more than 100 high-profile target killings, including the assassination of Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA Raza Haider in 2010.
After that arrest, he remained in jail for around 12 years. Shortly after his release from jail, his name again hit the headlines when he was rearrested by CTD officer Khurram Waris in October 2023.
This time, he was accused of being the mastermind behind the assassination of Qawwali maestro Amjad Sabri. It was alleged that while in jail, he planned the killing that was implemented by some criminals after their release from jail.
Rasheed was also booked for possessing a hand grenade. However, he again managed to get released from jail. The CTD claims that this time, he not only planned a terrorist attack but also executed it himself.
CTD officials say that footage of DSP Raza’s killing and sketches made after that indicated Rasheed’s involvement in the case.
Weak investigations
The CTD is rightfully so celebrating the killings of the two terrorists but it is also the time for introspection as the question arises why the investigations of the CTD, which is a major counter-terrorism agency of the country, are so a week that they could not ensure the conviction of a hardcore terrorist involved in high-profile cases, due to which he was able to secure release from jail.
Following his release after the first arrest, he was re-arrested in another high-profile case but was released after a short period, only to get involved in yet another high-profile target killing.
This surely gives the impression that while it is not difficult for the CTD to arrest terrorists, proving their guilt in courts is undoubtedly a much more difficult task for them.
Had the CTD properly investigated and secured conviction after his second arrest, Rasheed would not have been released again, and the CTD’s own senior officer, DSP Raza, would not have been killed at his hands.
Another interesting coincidence regarding Rasheed is that October had never been a favourable month for him. His first arrest took place on October 16, 2012. He spent around 12 years in prison, and then shortly after his release, he was once again arrested by the CTD in October 24, 2023. A year later, he was killed in an encounter in October 6.
Talking to The News, Khattab, who is serving as the CTD intelligence wing SP, said that after DSP Raza’s killing, the CTD initiated investigations but the breakthrough came when it apprehended two suspects, Naeem and Hamza, who were part of Rasheed’s network at the Karachi’s Cantonment Station when they returned from Multan.
When asked about Rasheed's involvement in the murder of Sabri, SP Khattab categorically denied any connection of Rasheed in the Qawwal’s killing, stating that he had himself arrested the culprits, Asim Capri and Ishaq Bobby, in that case who had already been convicted.
To another query, the CTD officer explained that Rasheed had been placed on the Fourth Schedule. However, after his release from jail, he went into hiding and re-established contacts with former inmates, attempting to reactivate his network.
SP Khattab mentioned that the explosives and materials seized from the deceased terrorists’ possession belonged to their newly formed group.
He explained that one of the key members of this new group, Syed Ahmed Hassan is the District Central president of the banned sectarian outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and an expert in making suicide jackets. However, he is currently on the run and has most likely fled to Jhang, Punjab.
Rasheed's network had seven targets on its list, including four CTD officers and three private individuals, the SP said, adding that in the CCTV footage of DSP Raza’s murder, it was evident that the person getting off the motorcycle was Rasheed and the motorcycle rider was an innocent rider of a ride hailing company.
SP Khattab said that in the footage, the second individual arriving on another motorcycle wearing a helmet was Qureshi, the other terrorist who was killed with Rasheed.
When Qureshi saw a security guard approaching after Rasheed had shot Raza, he removed his helmet and shot the security guard.
Regarding the motive behind DSP Raza's murder, SP Khattab explained that one of the reasons behind the killing was that the DSP belonged to the Shia community and another was that he had previously apprehended Rasheed’s associates.
SP Khattab also mentioned that Rasheed had recently joined the TTP, a move that was officially announced by the banned group.
The CTD officer further revealed that a total of 35 cases were registered against Rasheed, 25 of which were murder cases. These included the cases of killings of two police officers, four MQM workers, and several others from the Shia community, including scholars and even a provincial assembly member.