Sindh Rangers on Monday foiled suspected militants' plot to help escape terrorists from Karachi Central Jail. Rangers unearthed a 45-metre-long tunnel which was being dug up from beneath a water tank of a house in Ghausia Colony, located adjacent to the jail and busted the terrorist network.
Unfolding the details of the suspected militants' fizzled out plan, Colonel Tahir Mehmood told a news conference at Rangers Headquarters that officials of Rangers on a tipoff from intelligence agencies conducted a raid at a house in Ghauisia Colony and managed to foil the plan by arresting some suspects from the spot.
He said that at least 55 metres were required to enter the jail's premises while 45-metre-long tunnel had already been dug out by the suspects, saying that if the raid was not conducted, the militants would have succeeded in getting terrorists escaped from the prison. "Terrorists of banned organisations, who are involved in various cases, are imprisoned in the jail," he added.
Suspecting that those arrested from the house might have received assistance from inside the prison, he said that interrogations, however, are under way to ascertain the facts. "We have initial information that the house was purchased by the suspects a few months ago and we also know the identity of the seller, so let us give some time to further probe into the matter" he added. Colonel Tahir also appreciated the positive response of citizens in providing valuable information to the Rangers about suspects' suspicious activities.
He said that Rangers have arrested some other suspects from the said locality on the basis of information gathered during interrogation of the arrested militants. The suspects who are under the custody have disclosed that a tunnel was being dug up to enter the jail, he said, adding that some more sensational disclosures are expected from them in next couple of days.
He said that Rangers officials during their raid at the house had recovered some latest equipment used for the construction of the tunnel. Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Prisons, Manzoor Wassan, who visited the house where the tunnel was unearthed, told media persons that some three suspects involved in excavation of the tunnel have been arrested by the law-enforcement agencies, while more raids were being conducted in Ghausia Colony which is only 100 metres away from Karachi Central Jail, to apprehend other culprits. The minister said that the government was committed to ensure foolproof security to avoid untoward incidents.