KARACHI: Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a suspected sectarian militant.

A joint team of the CTD and a federal institution carried out an action in Khuda Ki Basti in Surjani Town and detained the suspect identified as Abbas Jafri.

The CTD said he was associated with a militant outfit, Zainabiyoun Brigade. He was also a close aide to the “most-wanted” militant Yawar Abbas, whose name was also included in the government’s ‘Red Book’.

The raiding team also confiscated weapons from his possession.

The spokesperson said that Abbas Jafri had received training from a neighbouring country in 2014, where he was taught “medical and intelligence services”.

The arrested suspect was specialised in automatic weapons, said the CTD official.

Abbas Jafri was allegedly involved in completing reconnaissance for militants to carry out terrorist activities in Karachi.

During interrogation, it transpired that he had “brainwashed” several people and sent them to the neighbouring country for militancy training.

The CTD in a press release said the held suspect was also involved in using foreign-trained militants for terror activities.

The weapon seized was sent to forensic lab to ascertain whether it was used in terror incidents.

Man shot dead by robbers

A 55-year-old man was shot dead by suspected robbers over putting up resistance in Surjani Town on Wednesday evening.

Police said Mohammed Amin was shot and killed near Mashriq Society, Taiser Town.

Area SHO Saleem Khan said two armed motorcyclists tried to snatch cash from him. As he put up resistance, the alleged robbers opened fire on him and fled without taking anything.

He suffered critical wounds and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. The officer said Rs1,000 cash was found from the pocket of the deceased which the suspects wanted to take.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2021