The terrorist captured during the failed attack on a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi has confessed to being a member of the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and revealed that he entered Pakistan from Afghanistan to carry out the assault, according to security sources.
The injured terrorist, identified as Usman Ali, told investigators that he had travelled from Afghanistan’s Jalalabad and was part of a four-member assault team comprising Abdul Hadi, Janan and Umar Farooq.
According to the confession, terrorist Janan threw the explosive device at the Rangers camp during the attack, while the group had entered Pakistan seven days earlier and stayed with Abdul Hadi, a resident of Bajaur. Abdul Hadi was eliminated during the operation against the attackers.
The captured terrorist further disclosed that the group had been sheltered in an under-construction building before the attack. He claimed the weapons used in the assault had been brought from Waziristan by Abdul Hadi. He added that he was shot while attempting to flee the scene and was subsequently apprehended by security personnel.
During interrogation, Usman Ali stated that all members of the group belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and that their commander in Afghanistan was identified as Ahrar Maulvi. He claimed the entire team had received terrorist training in Afghanistan, including the preparation of suicide vests and other operational training under an instructor identified as Umar Qari.
The terrorist also claimed that all logistical arrangements for the Karachi attack had been completed in Afghanistan before the group crossed into Pakistan. According to his statement, Abdul Hadi had previously entered Pakistan and possessed detailed knowledge of the planned operation.
Usman Ali further told investigators that the group was initially unfamiliar with the distinction between the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers but was later briefed about their intended target. He alleged that during their indoctrination, they were told to consider Pakistani security personnel as legitimate targets.
Defence and security analysts said the confession reinforces Pakistan’s longstanding position that terrorist groups continue to use Afghan territory as a sanctuary for planning, facilitating and launching attacks against Pakistan during the tenure of the interim Afghan Taliban administration.
Strategic affairs experts noted that Pakistan has repeatedly presented what it describes as credible and verifiable evidence of cross-border terrorist activity to the Afghan Taliban authorities. However, they said effective action against terrorist networks allegedly operating from Afghan soil has yet to materialise
