KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested two most wanted and trained terrorists of a proscribed outfit after a gunfight on Manghopir Road.
According to a statement by CTD in-charge Mazhar Mashwani, the two most wanted terrorists of outlawed Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan were arrested after a gun battle near Nauras Chowrangi in Mangophir at midnight.
There were identified as Agha Hassan and Muhammad Ali Raza Naqvi while their accomplices Karrar Hussain and Syed Ausat Ali Rizvi managed to escape due to the darkness at night. Police recovered two 9mm pistols and six rounds of 30-bore ammunition from their possessions.
The CTD official said that the terrorists had been declared most wanted by different institutions. The group leader Syed Ausat Ali Rizvi was allegedly heading organised sleeper cells, he added.
The accused persons had made revelations about religious target killing from 2011 to 2014 including the murder of Dr Mehboob who had gunned down near the main gate of Shamsi Hospital in 2011.
They had killed the owner of auto shop named Shahid near a fruit vendor at Jahazwali Chowrangi and also murdered Essa Baloch in Clifton Block IV in 2013. They were also involved in target killing of the owners of a sweet shop, Tauseef and Tanveer, in Malir 2C colony of Khokhrapar in 2014.
The alleged sleeper cell was running under the supervision of Syed Ausat Ali Rizvi who completed the recce of the individual before assigning assassination tasks to the shooters who were paid Rs25,000 each per month.
The CTD official said the police station where the cases were registered have been informed of their arrest while further investigation is underway.
