Terror plot foiled following largest weapons bust in Karachi’s history

KARACHI: In what is being termed the largest weapons bust in the city's history, police recovered a huge cache of weapons on Wednesday hidden inside a water tank in a house in Azizabad area.

The weapons were taken to the office of DIG West in five trucks. Police said the weapons were seized after receiving information from a criminal in custody.

Police added that the weapons were intended to be used for a terrorist attack in the month of Muharram.

Additional Inspector-General Karachi Mushtaq Maher said police were gathering details of the weapons found in the house.

"We will carry out forensic test of the weapons to find out if the weapons were used in any criminal activities before. We are still investigating to ascertain who last lived in the house or rented it," said Karachi police chief Mushtaq Maher at a press conference.

He said that money from extortion, china-cutting, was used in buying the weapons.

"Some elements residing in London in collaboration with RAW and South Africa group is involved. They were plotting to carry out a major terror attack on 9th or 10th Muharram," he said.

"We have found in our investigations that a political party is involved in acquiring these weapons. Several big names are also surfacing, we are investigating who bought them, hid them, and what they were meant to be used for," he said.

When asked by a reporter who the weapons belonged to, he said, "When I say political party, Nine Zero, Azizabad, I don't think there is much left to say. The area from where it has been recovered, it all points to one party."

The weapons recovered include Nato weapons, bullet-proof jackets, anti-tank mines, anti-aircraft guns, bazookas, grenades, LMGs, SMGs, rifles and AK-47 assault rifles along with a large quantity of explosives.

 

DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar said the police by recovering these weapons have saved the city from a major attack. He added that all credit for the weapons bust should go to the police.

The house had been locked for a long period of time and a water bill dating back two years was found inside.

Sources informed Geo News that no arrests were made during the raid and police left the house unattended while some bullets remained inside the water tank.

MQM London denies any link to weapons

MQM London responded following the discovery of weapons which was being linked to the party. The London faction called the weapons recovery claim a farce.

The cache of weapons discovered is now being wrongly linked to the party, said MQM London.