The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) may not have achieved their main objective in the ongoing ‘surgical operations’ but the violence in Karachi has greatly subsidised since the launch of the LEAs’ action and the beginning of the Supreme Court’s proceedings on suo motu over Karachi killings.
According to official figures, since the ‘real’ operation was launched on September 3, under the supervision of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh in collaboration with intelligence agencies, the LEAs have arrested 3,283 suspects while seizing 2,276 illegal weapons, including explosive chemical and explosive substance.
Among the arrested suspects, 78 persons were claimed to be high-profile target killers and 38 extortionists belonging to different political parties of the city, including Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi movement (MQM), People’s Amn Committee (PAC), Sunni Tehreek (ST) and also banned outfits Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba and Sipah-e-Muhammad.
The operation was launched when Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on Rangers Director General (DG) Aijaz Chaudhry and ordered him to launch an indiscriminate operation in Karachi and arrest criminals without considering their political, ethnic or sectarian belongings.
Earlier on September 1, in the meeting of Corps Commander, dissatisfaction was expressed on operations launched under the supervision of Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
A statement issued through the Inter-Services Public Relations also expressed reservations over the issue.
Sources in the federal government claimed that Malik was then ‘asked’ to leave Karachi and the Rangers DG announced the beginning of an indiscriminate, targeted operation in a press conference.
According to Sindh Home Department documents obtained by Pakistan Today, out of the 3,283 suspects arrested, 2,714 were held by police and 569 by Rangers.
The 2,276 weapons recovered included Kalashnikovs, submachine guns, 9mm and 8mm rifles, 9mm and 30m bore pistols, repeaters and explosives including hand grenades, crackers and chemicals.
Two large torture cells were also discovered with one in Lyari, a stronghold of the PAC, and another at Yousuf Plaza in Federal B Area, a stronghold of the MQM.
Among the arrested persons, 2,324 alleged accused after interrogation by Joint Investigation Team were presented before courts while the remaining are undergoing investigation.
