An injured suspect arrested after an attack on a Pakistan Rangers Sindh camp has claimed that he belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and had travelled from Afghanistan, officials said.
According to officials, the suspect identified himself as Usman Ali and said he came from the Jalalabad area of Afghanistan.
In his video statement, the suspect said three other men, identified as Abdul Hadi, Janan and Umar Farooq, had accompanied him. He said Abdul Hadi had been killed.
The suspect said Janan had thrown a bomb at the Pakistan Rangers camp.
He said the group had arrived in Pakistan seven days before the attack and stayed with Abdul Hadi, a resident of Bajaur. He said they were kept in an under-construction building.
According to the suspect’s statement, the weapons used in the attack were brought by Abdul Hadi from Waziristan.
Usman Ali said he was shot while trying to flee and fell at the scene.
The suspect claimed that he belonged to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and that the group’s commander in Afghanistan was known as Ahrar Maulvi Sahib.
He said the group had received training in Afghanistan and that Umar Qari had provided training in suicide vests and other tactics.
The suspect said arrangements for the group had been made before their arrival in Karachi and that Abdul Hadi knew the local network as he had been to the area before.
He also claimed that the attackers were initially unaware of the difference between the army and Rangers, but were later briefed and given instructions.
Security officials said the suspect’s statement indicated links between Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and handlers based in Afghanistan.
Defence experts said Afghanistan’s soil was being used by terrorist groups against Pakistan. They said Pakistan had previously shared evidence of cross-border terrorism with the Afghan Taliban authorities.
Officials said further investigation into the attack was underway.
Reporter: Ahmed Mansoor