A key operative of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to by the authorities as Fitnatul Khawarij, was killed during a joint operation conducted by the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and a federal civil intelligence agency, officials said.
SSP Syed Irfan Ali Bahadur, chief of the CTD Operations Wing, said the operation led to an exchange of fire between law enforcement personnel and terrorists. During the encounter, one terrorist associated with the banned organisation suffered injuries and subsequently died. A 9mm pistol was recovered from the possession of the slain suspect, the CTD said. The weapon was subsequently subjected to forensic examination to determine if it had been used in previous criminal and terrorist activities.
The forensic examination reportedly established that the seized pistol matched the weapon used in several terrorism-related cases registered at different police stations in Karachi, including cases registered with the CTD.
SSP Bahadur said that the same pistol had allegedly been used in several attacks targeting police personnel and officials of other law enforcement agencies.
These incidents include the martyrdom of policeman Khadim, an attack involving firing on a police mobile within the limits of the Gizri police station, and an attack targeting Sub-Inspector Arab Khan.
The seized weapon had been linked to case No. 510/2025, which had been registered at the Gizri police station after the incident of firing on the police mobile. The pistol had also been allegedly used in case No. 226/2026, registered at the Manghopir police station after an attack on two police personnel. In that incident, one police official had been martyred while another had suffered injuries, according to the CTD’s press release.
The investigators also found the weapon to be linked to case No. 386/2026, which had been registered at the Manghopir police station after an attack on SI Khan. SSP Bahadur said the forensic findings have provided the investigators with important evidence regarding the activities of the slain terrorist and his alleged involvement in multiple attacks.
Following the operation, a special team comprising CTD officers and personnel has been constituted to trace and arrest the other alleged accomplices of the deceased terrorist. Officials said that further investigation into the terrorist network, its members and their alleged involvement in previous attacks is under way. Legal action will also be taken on the basis of evidence gathered during the investigation, the CTD said.
