KARACHI - District Malir police on Saturday claimed to have killed four terrorists, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, in an encounter on the outskirts of the city.

Malir SSP Rao Anwar said that police, on a tip off, raided the hideout of terrorists in Abbas Goth, who, on seeing police, resorted to indiscriminate firing. “Resultantly police also retaliated. During the exchange of fire, four terrorists sustained wounds and died on the spot,” Rao elaborated.

He further said that the raid was conducted when Gulshan-e-Maymar police received information about the presence of some terrorists in a house in Abbas Goth, near Northern Bypass.

The SSP said that the suspects were associated with Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and were planning terrorist activities at their hideout.

According to him, one of the deceased was identified as Ibrahim alias Afia who, he said, was involved in a number of terrorist activities.

He said that the suspects had attacked Rangers and police personnel in Korangi, and were planning to carry out another attack in the city. “However, police foiled their plan,” he added.

Rao told media men that Kalashnikovs, sniper rifles and pistols were recovered from the possession of slain militants while further investigations were underway. Police shifted the bodies to a morgue for identification and further legal formalities.

Three MQM-L activists held

Meanwhile, Pakistan Rangers on Saturday said it had arrested three activists of MQM-London (MQM-L) during separate raids in Bilal Colony and Awami Colony.

Rangers spokesperson said that those arrested were identified as Sohail Qureshi, Muhammad Javed and Noor Alam aka Bihari, who, as per Rangers’ claim, were involved in various cases of target killings, extortion and other crimes.

In a separate development, Rangers said it had apprehended Akhtar from PIB Colony. Rangers spokesperson said that the suspect was involved in various incidents of street crimes.