In last two years: Was large Daesh network dismantled in Karachi?

ISLAMABAD: Law enforcement agencies claimed to have dismantled a major network of radical terrorist organisation ‘Islamic State (Daesh)' from Manghopir and degraded several other terrorist networks operating in other parts of Karachi in the last two years. The local leadership of these terrorist cells was also handling operations in other Sindh cities and neighbouring Balochistan.

Law enforcement agencies conducted a low profile crackdown against Daesh/ ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province), TLP, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP-Bajwarah Group), Jamaatul Ahrar, Al-Qaeda (Indian Subcontinent) Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Almi, ( LEJ-A), in the past two years, according to the official data the Geo News exclusively acquired from the Sindh Police department under the Right to Information Law.

The law enforcement agencies have either killed or arrested more than 118 Daesh terrorists/operators, according to the official figures. This included 53 Daesh terrorists who were arrested by special security forces and most wanted 65 Daesh terrorists who were killed in different engagements during this period.

Sindh Police officials, who prepared the official document, were tightlipped if the network of Daesh and other proscribed outfits had been eliminated or they had morphed into sleeper cells. Despite efforts spanning several weeks by this correspondent to get their response; they opted for “complete silence on the important issue.”

The epicenter of these operations remained in Manghopir and the surroundings of Malir district in Karachi. The operators of these half a dozen terrorist organizations were from different ethnic groups in Manghopir, including Mohajirs, Sindhis, Baloch, Seraiki and Afghans.

Series of operations against terrorist outfits were conducted in Gulshan-e-Maymar, Iqbal Market, Mominabad, Surjani Town, Pak Bazar and Pirabad in Karachi. Around half a dozen Daesh terrorists were either killed or arrested in Gulshan-e-Maymar in district Malir, 12 in Ittehad Town in Baldia, one in Pirabad and three in Mominabad Police Station, both located in Karachi Police West Zone of Orangi Town besides, other 94 Daesh terrorists either killed or arrested in Manghopir, according to the official figures.

Daesh local commander Mohammad Ali alias Terrah was operating with terrorists from Pirabad, who was killed in an operation of Counter-Terrorism Department last year, an official familiar with the operation revealed on Sunday.

Law enforcement agencies in a secret operation also managed to arrest three hardcore Daesh terrorists Noor Mohammad alias Baitullah alias Abdudara, Khan Bahadur alias Qari Basit alia Mohammad and Hayat Allah son of Ihlat Khan in Ittehad Town. Besides, Yaseen, son of Qalat Khan, and Akhtar Ali, son of Bakht Zamin, were killed in an encounter with LEAs in Manghopir in December 2019.

Ismail, son of Saeed, Qari Sirajullah, son of Gular Saeed, Sadam Hussain, Sharifullah, Irfan Munir, Sabit Ali, Ishaq, Rehmatullah and Waheed, son of Bashir Ahmed, were killed in another encounter in Manghopir, according to official documents. These militants were previously working for al-Qaeda and TTP before joining the ranks of Daesh in Sindh. They also remained a part of the Balochistan chapter of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami in 2017, revealed the information.

The law enforcement agencies also arrested 107 hardcore terrorists of TTP, Al Qaeda, LeJ, SSP and other proscribed groups from 2009 to 2021. More than 58 terrorists were from TTP, eight from al-Qaeda, seven from LeJ, four from Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and 38 terrorists affiliated with other terrorist organisations from Sindh during this period.

Ahsan Masood, alias Roshan, son of Ras Masood Fareedi, a local commander for al-Qaeda, was also arrested with his accomplice Hussain by law enforcement agencies in a secret operation in Mominabad, according to official details. TTP’s Abid Chotu, Amjad Khan, Lalay Rehman alias Laly and Anwer, son of Painda Khan, were also arrested in an operation in Surjani Town.

The law enforcement agencies also registered 193 cases against activities of different proscribed organization operators in the past one year. More than 150 cases of terrorism were registered against militants of different organizations in Pak-Bazar, Orangi Town, Surjani Town, Manghopir and other parts of Karachi. These included 133 cases against TLP operators, 11 against Lyari Gang War activists, 12 against Baloch militants and four cases against operators of MQM-Altaf group.

In the past two months, law enforcement agencies filed cases 81 cases against Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan activists across Sindh, according to official details. Cases were also registered against 36 activists of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz and 13 activists of other banned outfits, documents reveal. Hundreds of cases were also filed against SSP, LeJ operators, etc. All these cases were filed under anti-terrorism laws, according to the official data the Geo News acquired under the Right to Information Law exclusively.