Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, alongside Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho and SP CTD Irfan Bahadur, disclosed the arrest of the mastermind and key facilitators involved in the terrorist attack on the Karachi Rangers Training Centre (KTC). The investigation uncovered that the entire operation was directed and financed from Afghanistan.
During a joint press briefing on Tuesday, officials identified Qari Bashir, also known as Qari Habib, as the chief orchestrator apprehended in a targeted security operation. Interrogations revealed that Bashir received direct orders from senior leadership of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), now referred to as Fitna-al-Khawarij, and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, both based in Afghanistan, to carry out the assault in Karachi.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) outlined that the attack was planned in four stages: training militants in Afghanistan, moving them across the border into Karachi, maintaining active communication with local facilitators from Afghanistan, and supplying weapons, ammunition, and suicide vests. Senior figures involved in planning on Afghan soil included Noor Wali Mehsud, TTP’s chief, Shura member Said Shah, and commander Sher Ali alias Mukhlis Yar. They coordinated with Bashir, the wanted Emir of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, and cleric Qari Abdul Manaan to prepare the attackers.
The assault team consisted of four terrorists: Janan, the suicide bomber from Farah province; Bilal alias Hadi, originally from Bajaur but residing in Kandahar; Umar Farooq from Kunar, who was killed during the security operation; and Usman from Nangarhar, who was captured wounded and is currently receiving medical treatment.
In a confession, Usman described his recruitment and training process. Radicalized in 2022 at a madrasa in Nangarhar by a teacher named Mullah Atiq, he and three others were introduced to Mullah Abdul Manaan. They initially trained for eight days in Lalpura, followed by a 13-day advanced session in the mountainous Shali area of Kunar province. Before deployment to Karachi, commanders Salman, responsible for finances, and Abdul Baseer briefed the team.
Usman revealed the attackers were provided with digital maps of the Rangers Headquarters on a laptop, mobile phones, PKR 150,000 for expenses, and contact details for their Karachi coordinator. Their journey to Pakistan involved traveling from Nangarhar to Jalalabad, then Kabul, Helmand, and Lashkar Gah. They crossed the border on foot and were transported through Balochistan to Hub before entering Karachi.
Upon arrival, the attackers were received by Qari Bashir, who housed them near Chaman Chorangi. Bashir personally took Usman on a motorcycle reconnaissance of the Rangers Headquarters. Investigators recovered audio recordings and evidence illustrating local logistical arrangements. Bashir procured three Kalashnikov rifles and 15 loaded magazines in Korangi through a contact named Ehsanullah, under the guidance of an Afghanistan-based handler called Shah Faisal. Additionally, a suicide vest was secured in Korangi along with eight hand grenades from Pehlwan Goth.
Authorities confirmed that Qari Bashir and 13 other facilitators, many of whom are close relatives, have been detained. Security forces also recovered a farewell video recorded by the suicide bomber Janan prior to the attack. Legal proceedings against the arrested suspects are ongoing.
