Ansarul Shariah—the group behind the assassination bid on Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan—chief Shehryar, alias Dr Abdullah Hashmi, during the investigation revealed that the group had targeted several police officials and check posts to prove their worth. Shehryar also admitted to being trained in Shorawak area of Helmand, Afghanistan, and added that his group comprised of a dozen students/alumni of Karachi’s leading universities.
He further said that the group made several attempts to link itself Al-Qaeda after establishing contacts with one of its operative in Karachi named Abdullah Baloch. However the group was asked to generate funds and operate on its own, a private TV channel quoted him saying.
The militant group’s chief further revealed their Al-Qaeda contact left the Metropolitan following an attack on his residence in 2012.
He said the slain assailant, Ahsan, who attacked Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan, also received militancy training from Afghanistan and was an electronic engineer. Ahsan was a part of Dawood University of Engineering & Technology’s faculty and used to donate half of his salary to the group.
Militant group’s head Shehryar was arrested on Monday in a raid in Gulzar-e-Hijri. He worked as an IT (Information technology) expert and was an employee of NED university in the computer department. He received his Master’s degree in Applied Physics from the University of Karachi.
Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said that suspects involved in attacks on police personnel in the metropolis have been arrested last night.
Talking to media persons after attending a Defence Day ceremony, Shah said that Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have arrested suspects affiliated with three to four militant groups, who have been involved in target killings of police personnel.
Ansarul Sharia Pakistan started operation in 2015, but it became active this year and the group had claimed responsibility for the killing of four policemen in the SITE area of Karachi in June.
