Unknown men offer money to school-goers for placing IEDs

Unidentified men in Karachi offered money to school-going children for placing a bag carrying Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) inside their educational institutes, it was revealed on Monday.

Following this development, the security officials started the hunt for a pick-up van, which, according to victims and witnesses, was being used by the suspects.

According to details a pick-up van displaying the name of a private educational institute, was seen roaming in various parts of the city with a mission to place an IED in an educational institute.

One such incident was reported from Model Colony, Malir at the end of January this year where unidentified men offered Rs 20,000 to a school-going children for placing an IED.

Model Colony Police Station’s former SHO Subhan told this scribe that he was in his office when a school-going child arrived at the police station and claimed that some unidentified men tried to exchange his school bag forcibly before offering him a handsome amount in return.

“I was monitoring police patrolling in my jurisdiction, ordered by the higher-ups to avert possible militant attacks following the TTP Geedar Group chief’s fresh warning of attacks on educational institutions, when a 15 year old boy came to me and claimed that four men, wearing chest-length beard, tried to stop him on way to school,” Subhan told.

“The boy, who was looking scared claimed that he was on his way to school when a pick-up van carrying logo of a school stopped near him. The boy tried to move along but the van moved too and blocked his way. Two men came down and asked him about name of his school and offered him Rs 20,000 to exchange his school bag. The boy said that he refused and tried to run away, but the bearded men held him tightly and tried to get him to exchange the bag. The boy managed to run away and then reached the police station,” Subhan said.

Subhan said that a description of the pick-up van was conveyed to the patrolling mobiles but the police failed to apprehend the suspects.

“The security officials took away the footage of CCTV cameras installed closed to the spot with them,” Subhan claimed, adding that he was transferred few days later and was not following the investigation.

However, as it turns out, there wasn’t much investigation to be followed as the Model Colony Police Station’s head mohrir (HM), who said that the incident did indeed happen could not provide any further details.

“We didn’t register a case into this incident,” the head mohrir said. “The former SHO was following this case. You should contact him for details,” he said.