Karachi saved from I-Day disaster as Sindhudesh Republican Army militant arrested

A joint operation conducted by Sindh Rangers and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has led to the arrest of a militant associated with the banned outfit Sindhudesh Republican Army (SRA) in Karachi.

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the arrested suspect, identified as Abdul Jabbar Sarki, was listed among the most wanted militants in the CTD Red Book.

The operation was carried out at a checkpoint near Hub River Road in Rais Goth, where law enforcers recovered explosive material, weapons, detonators and ball bearings from the suspect’s possession.

A spokesperson for Sindh Rangers said the accused joined the group led by banned organisation commander Sajjad Shah in 2020.

The spokespersons said the suspect, along with an accomplice, carried out a grenade attack on a Rangers checkpoint near Manzil Pump on the National Highway in June 2020, injuring two passers-by and partially damaging the security post.

The spokesperson further claimed that the suspect had been planning acts of terrorism in Karachi with other associates and had conducted reconnaissance of an Independence Day stall in Gulshan-e-Hadeed ahead of possible attacks linked to 14 August celebrations.

The Sindh Rangers spokesperson also stated that the arrested suspect remained in contact with the banned organisation's commander Sajjad Shah, who is reportedly operating from abroad and is accused of involvement in sabotage activities in Karachi and other parts of Sindh.

Sindh Rangers said further operations are under way to arrest other associates connected to the group. The detained suspect, along with the recovered weapons and explosive material, has been handed over to CTD police for further legal proceedings.

--Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA)--

The Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) is a Sindhi nationalist-separatist militant organisation based in the Sindh province. 

Reportedly, it is supported, armed and financed by Baloch nationalist groups (such as the Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar, Balochistan Liberation Army, and Balochistan Liberation Front) as an organisation for proxy warfare and instability in Sindh.

It commonly targets and attacks infrastructure projects and economic infrastructure in Sindh, especially infrastructure linked to Chinese companies or individuals.

It has been involved in criminal activities since as far back as at least 2007 in Karachi. At first, attacks were confined to damaging ATM machines, power transmission lines and railway tracks but gradually began to include attacking security forces, mainly the Sindh Police and Sindh Rangers deployed in Sindh. 

After a surge in attacks, Pakistan's Interior Ministry included the group, along with the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, on its list of banned organisations under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Reporter: Osama Malik