KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Monday that the remnants of the Lyari gang war were being used by a foreign intelligence network to trigger sectarian violence in the metropolis.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, CTD DIG Omar Shahid Hamid said that a new pattern of “contract killings” had emerged during interrogation of three held suspects, identified as Mudassir Javed, Haris alias Langra and Abu Sufyan, who were allegedly involved in a recent attempt on the life of Mufti Amin aka Mufti Abdullah in Jamshed Quarters.

“The held suspects belong to a group led by Lyari gangster Zahid alias Shooter, who lives in the UAE and works for Indian intelligence agency, RAW,” he said.

Police arrest two suspects from Lyari’s Kakri Ground on Sunday night

Apart from Zahid Shooter, another Lyari gangster, Haji, provided funds to members of his gang for carrying out targeted killings in order to create a sense of insecurity and instigate sectarian violence.

The officer revealed that a CTD team led by Raja Umar Khattab arrested Haris and Sufyan from Kakri Ground on Sunday night. Their third accomplice, Mudassir Javed, was arrested from the crime scene with the help of area people soon after the botched assassination attempt on Oct 21, he added.

‘Hired assassins’

He believed that it was a local network comprising members of old Lyari gangs, who now worked as hired assassins having “international links”.

“This is a serious issue as certain elements belonging to” a transport app and online food delivery company “are also involved in transferring money and weapons,” the DIG alleged.

“A new chapter of contract killings has started in the city and now we will focus on its foreign branches with the help of the federal government,” he said.

To a question as to why a less-known figure like Mufti Abdullah was targeted, he said there could be two possible aspects.

He said Mufti Abdullah was a soft target whose recce was carried out by the held suspects. Besides, the attempt on his life took place 10 days after the targeted killing of another prominent Deobandi scholar and head of Jamia Farooqia, Dr Maulana Adil Khan.

“It might have triggered fears of a new wave of targeted killings of Deobandi ulema ... or possibility of spreading sectarian chaos,” he said.

He added the CTD team was working on the killing of Maulana Adil with the help of federal institutions as investigators had obtained some technical evidence and some suspects were also detained for interrogation.

The DIG denied reports that the attempt on Mufti Abdullah’s life was motivated by some monetary dispute. “No such thing has emerged during the investigation. The held suspects are professional killers and their ringleader, Zahid Shooter, had also remained involved in killings in Lyari before [fleeing] to Iran and later moving to the UAE.

“We have evidence that Zahid Shooter is being protected by a foreign hostile agency,” he disclosed.

CTD official Khattab said that held Mudassir had tried to misguide investigators that they targeted Mufti Abdullah for a Rs1 million dispute.

‘Hit list’

DIG Hamid revealed that the held suspects had a hit list that was provided to them by their foreign operators.

He, however, said it was not advisable to share with the media names of those on the hit list.

He said that not only religious figures but the names of other personalities were also included in the list.

Mr Khattab said that the suspects did recce of their potential targets. The CTD had informed such personalities about threats and security had been provided to them, he added.

The CTD in a press release said that the held suspects were involved in at least 12 criminal cases in the metropolis.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2020