KARACHI - The Rangers authorities revealed on Wednesday that target killers in Karachi are receiving financial assistance from South Africa, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
While briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, the Rangers authorities informed that 7950 operations were conducted across the metropolis since September 2013. Around 6361 suspects were handed over to police and 221 were handed over to FIA and other law enforcement agencies.
1158 suspects were released without registration of the First Information Report (FIR), 1313 released on bail while 188 were convicted in various cases.
A total of 1236 alleged terrorists, 848 target killers, 403 extortionists and 143 kidnappers were among those arrested during these raids.
Alleged target killers confessed to targeting 7224 persons in the city, the paramilitary Rangers stated.
1313 operations were conducted against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), 1035 against Peoples Aman Committee and 28 operations were carried out against Awami National Party (ANP).
The Rangers authorities further reported that there was 80% decline in terror related incidents, 75% in target killings, 85% in extortion cases and 83% reduction in incidents of kidnapping.
The report comes a day after two army men including Lance Naik Abdul Razzaq and Sepoy Khadmin Hussain were shot dead when motorcycle gunmen opened fire on their pick-up truck near parking plaza in Saddaq area of Karachi.
The law enforcement personnel launched a major crackdown on terrorists and criminals in the city, which is the country’s economic hub, in 2013 and levels of violence have dropped drastically since then. The city of 20 million is frequently hit by religious, political and ethnic violence.
According to statistics compiled by provincial police, 390 people have died in targeted killings this year so far, of whom 18 were police personnel.
PCG recovers 40 kg charas: Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) recovered 40 kg of charas from a passenger coach near Super Highway here.
A PCG statement here Wednesday said that the value of drugs in the international market was estimated as Rs. 35 million.
It said that PCG received information regarding bid to smuggle a huge amount of narcotics at Super Highway.
Upon this, directives were issued to beef up checking process. A suspected passenger coach was stopped for checking near Karachi. On search 40 kg charas was recovered which was hidden in the bundle of waste paper.
The PCG impounded the passenger coach, recovered narcotics and taken into custody four alleged smugglers who are being interrogated.
The Director General of PCG, Brig. Atiq ur Rehman has appreciated the performance of the PCG jawans, the statement added.