Rangers recover Illegal NATO weapons, arrest criminals from MQM Heaquarters

After raid at MQM’s Headquarter “Nine-Zero”, Rangers spokesperson Colonel Tahir said a large cache of weapons – including illegal NATO weapons – had been recovered in the “information-based operation”.

“We showed you the weapons. Some illegal weapons are those which cannot even be imported into Pakistan. We suspect that these weapons may be those from missing Nato containers,” he said.

He said that several people had been arrested, including five to six suspects who were known to have criminal records.

He, however, claimed that no MQM lawmaker had been arrested, and that MQM senior leader Amir Khan was only kept in custody to explain “the presence of criminal elements” with him.

“This office will soon be sealed by the police. We are still carrying out search operation of the surrounding area and will share results with you after we have completed our investigation,” said the Rangers spokesman.

He said that 10 to 12 other people had also been arrested on suspicion, but reassured that they may be released after investigation.

A 28-year-old man was killed in firing outside MQM headquarters in Karachi where a large number of charged party workers gathered following the raid and chanted slogans against the action.

He was identified as Waqas Shah. MQM said the young man was a party worker and a member of party’s media cell.