Police failed to arrest mastermind of attack on Leader of opposition

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Police failed to arrest mastermind of the attack on Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, despite several raids here on Tuesday.

Sarosh Siddiqui escaped during a gun battle with police at his residence in Kaneez Fatima Society neighborhood of the city a day earlier.

Several raids were conducted to arrest Siddiqui commander of the proscribed Ansarul Shariah and former student of Karachi University, but he remained at large.

Meanwhile, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology confirmed on Tuesday that one of its officials, too, was involved in the attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader.

Sources said Hassaan Israr, one of the attackers who was reportedly beaten up by witnesses and then shot in the head by police, worked in the university’s electrical engineering department as a lab technician.

He had obtained a BA degree from a local university. Law enforcement personnel have taken his entire education record into possession as part of their investigation.

According to reports, the KU vice chancellor, meanwhile, has decided to share details of all students with intelligence agencies for scrutiny after Siddiqui’s reported involvement in terrorism. Moreover, the varsity will approve in its next academic council session a proposal for students to obtain ‘character certificates’ from police stations.

No final decision, however, has taken, a spokesman of the university said, adding these were just suggestions.

Meantime, FIR of the attack on Khawaja Izhar was lodged at the Counter Terrorism Department on the complaint of SHO Sohrab Goth. Siddiqui, Muzammil and Mohammad Talha were nominated as suspects in the FIR.

On Monday, police raided a house in Scheme 33, Rufi Bungalows, Kaneez Fatima Society on a tip-off about the presence of militants. However, the militants present inside opened fire on the raiding party, killing one police official and injuring another. The suspected terrorists also managed to escape from the scene.

Police said Siddiqui, a senior figure of militant outfit Ansarul Shariah, was among those who escaped.

Siddiqui is said to be the mastermind of the Eid-day attack on Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly.