Karachi Rangers camp attack mastermind, 13 facilitators arrested: Sindh police

KARACHI: Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Javed Alam Odho on Tuesday announced the arrest of the alleged mastermind and 13 facilitators behind the terrorist attack on the KTC Rangers Camp in Karachi, claiming the assault was planned and directed from Afghanistan.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) SP Irfan Bahadur, the officials said security forces arrested the alleged mastermind, Qari Bashir alias Qari Habib, during a targeted operation, describing the development as a major breakthrough in the investigation.

Lanjar said four terrorists participated in the attack, including three Afghan nationals and one man from Bajaur who had lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades. He alleged that the attackers were directed by handlers operating from Afghanistan.

“The terrorists intended to take people hostage and inflict maximum casualties,” the minister said, adding that three attackers were killed during the Rangers operation while one injured suspect was arrested.

According to investigators, the arrested suspect allegedly confessed to receiving instructions from Afghanistan-based leaders of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also referred to by the government as Fitna-al-Khawarij, and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.

SP Irfan Bahadur said the investigation found the operation had been planned in four phases, including training in Afghanistan, infiltration into Pakistan, coordination through local facilitators and the supply of weapons, ammunition and suicide vests.

Police identified senior alleged conspirators as TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, Shura member Said Shah, commander Sher Ali alias Mukhlis Yar, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar leader Bashir alias Ahrar Mulla and cleric Qari Abdul Manaan.

Officials said the attack team comprised Janan, a suicide bomber from Afghanistan’s Farah province; Bilal alias Hadi, originally from Bajaur but residing in Kandahar; Umar Farooq from Kunar, who was killed during the operation; and Usman from Nangarhar, who was arrested in an injured condition.

According to police, Usman told investigators he was radicalised in 2022 at a madrasa in Nangarhar before receiving weapons training in Lalpura and later in the mountainous Shali area of Kunar province.

Investigators said the group travelled from Nangarhar to Jalalabad, Kabul and Helmand before crossing into Pakistan on foot and entering Karachi via Balochistan.

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Police alleged that after arriving in Karachi, the attackers were received by Qari Bashir, who arranged accommodation near Chaman Chorangi and conducted reconnaissance of the Rangers Headquarters.

Officials said investigators recovered audio recordings and other evidence showing Bashir allegedly procured assault rifles, loaded magazines, a suicide vest and hand grenades through local contacts acting on instructions from Afghanistan-based handlers.

Sindh Police said Qari Bashir and 13 alleged facilitators, several of whom are reported to be his close relatives, have been arrested. Investigators also recovered a farewell video recorded by the alleged suicide bomber before the attack.

Authorities said legal proceedings against the arrested suspects are underway.