Sindh: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2019

The year 2018 saw a remarkable reduction of 45pc in militant attacks in Pakistan, Dawn reported on January 2 quoting a study conducted by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The PICSS study showed that the security situation significantly improved in the year as the number of attacks, resultant deaths as well as injuries declined by 45pc, 37pc and 49pc, respectively, compared to 2017. The number of suicide attacks also declined. According to a press release, militants carried out 229 attacks in different provinces in which 577 people were killed - 356 civilians, 152 security forces personnel and 67 militants. Besides, 959 people were injured, including 693 civilians and 261 security personnel. But the ratio of security forces’ casualties per attack significantly increased in 2018 compared to 2017. A consistent decline in militant attacks was noticed since the launch of Operation Zarb-i-Azb (‘Sword of the Prophet’, also ‘sharp and cutting’) in June 2014. The average militant attacks per month declined from 35 in 2017 to 19 in 2018. In 2014, it was 134 which dropped to 59 in 2015 and 42 in 2016. Average militant attacks per month decreased from 35 in 2017 to 19 in 2018, report says. Balochistan remained the most troubled province where the highest number of militant attacks (99), highest number of deaths (354) and highest number of injured (570) were recorded. Of the total attacks in the country, 61pc of the deaths and 59pc of the injuries took place in Balochistan. The second highest number of attacks (65) was recorded in the erstwhile FATA in which 107 people were killed and 150 injured. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 40 attacks were recorded in which 72 people were killed and 174 injured. As many as 14 attacks were reported from Sindh in which 21 people were killed and 20 injured. Punjab saw six militant attacks in which 18 people were killed and 42 injured. More footprints of the militants were observed in Gilgit-Baltistan than the previous years as four militant attacks were recorded in the area during the year in which five people were killed and three injured. At least 12 schools, mostly of girls, were destroyed in a single night in the Diamer District. In 2017, 23 suicide attacks had been recorded in the country. However, the number declined to 18 in 2018 in which 267 people were killed and 460 injured. Read less...

Sindh Police's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) have developed a technical team under its anti-terror wing that has started monitoring all digital platforms amid their growing use for “promotion of ideology of hatred, anti-state activism and militancy”, a senior official said on January 17, reports The Dawn. The fresh development from the Sindh Police came after a series of steps announced by the federal government and institutions, including Pakistan Telecommuni­cation Authority (PTA) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), where “the infiltration of anti-state elements and promoters of different ideologies which cannot be dubbed as pro-nationalism” have sparked concerns, necessitating immediate and strong measures. The FIA a few months ago allowed establishing of 15 cybercrime reporting centres in the country. Five of the centres will be opened in Punjab, three each in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), two in Balochistan and one each in Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan. The decision was taken in accordance with Section 51 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2015, which grants the government powers to take all necessary measures for the prevention of cybercrime. Read less...

Eleven people were taken into custody on January 18 night following a raid conducted at the North Nazimabad area of Karachi (provincial capital of Sindh), reports The News. Police further revealed that 20 suspects were already held while the 11 arrested were found possessing weapons, contraband as well as stolen motorcycles from the Taimuria neighborhood. Moreover, it was revealed that the arrested suspects were also embroiled in offences like street crimes, drug-peddling and stealing motorcycles.Police further stated that the previously seized suspects are presently undergoing interrogation while their criminal records accumulation and document verification is also being conducted. Read less...

Police have launched a search operation in Sohrab Goth, Karachi (provincial capital of Sindh) and its adjoining areas for a drone after a Sukkur-bound plane escaped a possible accident on January 18, reports The News. According to Police officials, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-536 was en-route to Sukkur from the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Shortly after the plane took off from the airport and reached near the Afghan Basti area in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth, a ‘drone’ came close to the aircraft suddenly.According to Malir Police spokesperson, the Police were looking for the drone and its operator. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Irfan Ali Bahadur said that after receiving the information, Police mobiles were moved to Sohrab Goth and Gulshan-e-Maymarareas where they had thoroughly checked houses and also led a search operation at the farmhouses there. Read less...

Police on January 21 registered a case against scores of Pashtoon Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leaders and workers under terrorism charges after the party held a rally in Karachi's Sohrab Goth area on January 20, reports Dawn. Police had reportedly invoked Sections 147, 149, 186, 153-A, 500 and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7-ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act) against 250-300 persons, including 16 identified by name. Read less...

Karachi East Zone Police claimed to have arrested 45 criminals on various charges, reports Daily Times on January 24. According to spokesman of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) East Zone, during the last 24 hours, East Zone Police arrested 45 accused and recovered nine illegal pistols, one Kalashnikov, more than one kg Hashish, one cell phone and thirteen vehicles from them. Read less...

Pakistan Rangers recovered illegal arms and ammunition from a main-hole in Dubai Chowk area of Lyari town of Karachi city on January 23, reports Daily Times. The spokesman of Pakistan Rangers informed that the five hand grenades, four detonators, 1,220 rounds of M-4 rifle, 130 rounds of 8-MM rifle were recovered from bag; weapons were kept in the main-hole by the miscreants of Zahid Ladla gang. Read less...

The Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) in Sindh, during a meeting on law and order situation of the province, informed that they have identified an unnamed terror outfit’s sleeper cell in Sukkur City, reports The Express Tribune. In his briefing, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on January 23, informed Sindh Chief Minister (CM), Murad Ali Shah that the Force was vigilantly monitoring movement at the Sindh-Balochistan provincial border. He said some militant elements had established hideouts in the province. “They will be taken to task with the help of intelligence agencies,” he added. Read less...

West Zone Police conducted 40 raids in different areas of East Zone and arrested 34 accused under the arms, narcotics and other acts of law. Police recovered seven illegal pistols, rounds, more than 2 kilograms hashish (cannabis), cell phone and cash money from them, police also seized 8 four-vehicle, five motorcycles, and three water tankers. Read less...

A two-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC), on January 24, ordered an end to all commercial activities on military lands in Karachi, reports Daily Times. The SC bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah ordered Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to summon a cabinet meeting and determine how the city will be restored to the shape envisioned in its original master plan. The bench directed all secretaries concerned to take part in the cabinet meeting and ordered them to come up with a comprehensive report in two weeks. Read less...

Police on January 27 claimed to have busted a gang of robbers who were involved in carrying out burglary in several localities of Karachi, reports Dawn on January 27. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) East, Azfar Mahesar at a press conference said three robbers ,Samiullah, Abdul Manan and Juma Khan, from the six-member "Afghan gang" were arrested with the help of technology and Police teams have been formed to apprehend the three others. The three suspects "confessed" to committing house robberies in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Ferozabad, Bahadurabad, Aziz Bhatti and New Town areas of the city. Read less...

53 Antiterrorism Court (ATC) established in Sindh have recorded a high acquittal rate in 2018, reports Dawn on January 28. The 53 ATCs decided 3,160 cases till the end of November 2018 while 1,678 new cases were instituted and the total backlog stood at 3,213 cases. The conviction rate stood at around 15 per cent, as the courts convicted accused in 467 cases. The acquittal was recorded at 86 percent as the accused in 2,693 cases were acquitted due to lack of evidence by the prosecuting agencies, including police and Rangers. The provincial government has set-up 53 special ATCs (31 in Karachi and 22 in ten other cities) to try persons involved in committing offences punishable under special laws. Read less...

Counter Terrorism Division (CTD), on January 29, arrested a Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) ‘commander’, Rehman aka Ustad jee, in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, reports The Nation. The arrested ‘commander’ was planning to carry out a major terror activity in Karachi. Read less...

Sindh Provincial Government has signed a summary of extension in Special Powers to Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) to operate in Karachi on January 29, reports Daily Times. The summary was signed by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah extending Special Police powers to Rangers for 90 days in Karachi, effective from January 6 until April 5. Special powers were first conferred upon Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) in September 2013 to facilitate targeted operation against criminal elements in Karachi. Read less...

The Sindh Police on January 29 announced the arrest of key Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militant, Rashid Baloch, an alleged facilitator of the November 23, 2018 attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, by United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities, reports Dawn. A senior official of the Counterterrorism Depart­ment (CTD) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdullah Sheikh said, “Rashid Baloch alias Abdullah is not only the facilitator of the attack but also a key man of the BLA.” The militant was reportedly detained by UAE authorities in Sharjah recently. Read less...