KARACHI – Law-enforcement agencies on Thursday claimed to have rounded up 22 suspects, including Lyari gangsters, in separate raids on different neighbourhoods in the city. A huge stash of weapons was also recovered from the arrested suspects.

Mochko police claimed they seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from a vacant house in Ittehad Colony. DSP Baldia Abdul Haq Bhutto said they were tipped off about the weapons stash in the said house. The seized ammunition comprised two rocket launchers, an anti-aircraft gun, 14 hand grenades, 100 short-distance mortars and dozens of rounds of different calibre.
The police could not arrest or track down any culprits but they did claim to have foiled a deadly terrorist assault. A case has been registered against unidentified culprits and investigation is in progress.
Police officials said that most of the seized weapons were American made.
In a raid Old City area, a notorious Lyari gangster was held from Bulbul Hazaar Dastan building. SSP Crime Branch Farooq Awan said they had information about the presence of Mullah Nawaz, a close associate of godfather Baba Ladla, in the precincts of the Nippier Police Station.
The SSP further said the accused carried Rs0.5 million reward on his head and was on the list of most-wanted criminals. The accused had involvement in over 50 cases of murder, extortion, drug peddling. During the initial course of investigation, the culprit confessed to having murdered Lyari gangster Majeed Speed a few years ago, according to the SSP. Further investigation is in process.
Separately, a special investigation team (SIT) apprehended three notorious gangsters, including a cop, in a raid on an auto shop in Baghdadi area. The detainees were identified as Kamran alias Kami, Shahbaz, son of Shahab, and Adnan.
According to ASI Imran Gujjar, Kamran alias Kami has been stationed at a police training centre in Saeedabad area, while Shahbaz is the son of a policeman.
The official further said that the detained persons confessed to having hand in several cases of murder, robbery, kidnapping and extortion.
Imran also said that the three men had association with Shiraz Merat, a notorious gangster, who also worked for Baba Ladla.
In raids on Godhra Colony and Umer Marvi Goth of New Karachi Industrial area, 22 suspects were taken into custody along with weapons by the rangers and police.
Most of the arrested suspects belonged to political and religious groups. They were identified as Naveed Bengali, Shaukat Farooqui, Fahim Qadri, Javed Siraiki, Junaid Bengali, Nadeem alias Maghaz, Kamil alias Kala, Mehboob alias Sirphira, Wajid alias Warsi, Yaqoob, Zafar, Asad, Imran, Kamran, Shareef, Nafees, Hussain, Nadeem and others. They have been shifted to an undisclosed location for further interrogation.