KARACHI: The Sindh Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested a key operative of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) during a targeted operation in Karachi’s Saeedabad area, according to official sources.
The arrested suspect, identified as Dahan alias Asif, was allegedly facilitating BLA militants in Karachi alongside his associate Shafi, CTD officials confirmed. The raid was carried out based on confidential intelligence, leading to the recovery of illegal weapons from the suspect’s possession.
Authorities said Dahan and Shafi had been providing logistical assistance to BLA operatives while frequently moving between Karachi and Hub, Balochistan, to evade law enforcement.
Shafi, believed to be operating from Hub, is the son of Bahadur PMT, a known BLA figure reportedly running a sleeper cell from a foreign country. Bahadur is already listed in the CTD’s Red Book of most wanted individuals.
Following Dahan’s arrest, CTD teams have been dispatched to Hub in pursuit of Shafi. Officials added that Dahan is a repeat offender, previously jailed for charges including murder, attempted murder, and armed encounters with police.
Interrogation of the suspect is underway, and authorities anticipate further leads in the ongoing crackdown against banned outfits.
In a related development, the CTD recently apprehended a suspect linked to the proscribed Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA) near Ghaghar Phatak, Karachi. Identified as Sajjad Shar alias Bablu, he was allegedly plotting to plant explosives on a railway track in Bohar village, Hyderabad, according to CTD DIG Asif Ejaz Shaikh.
