Top Taliban commander captured in Karachi

An operational head of the Tehreek-e -Taliban Pakistan, who is on the most wanted list of terrorists in the country, was captured from the outskirts of Karacghi, police said on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off from other arrested TTP men, police arrested Irfan Khan from his hideout in Sohrab Goth near Karachi with a large cache of ammunition and explosives, Senior Superintendent of Police (Special Investigation Unit) Umar Khatab told reporters.

"He is in the five most wanted terrorists' list with big head money and headed the Tehreek-e-Taliban operations in Shangla in the North West Frontier Province before fleeing to Karachi," Khatab said. "He is involved in terrorist activities and other crimes. It is a big

breakthrough for us in the fight against terror," he said adding, the arrested militant was running operations from Karachi in the garb of running a goods carrier company.

The Karachi law enforcement and security agencies have arrested a number of Taliban leaders and activists in the last two months after launching a crackdown on militants in different parts of the city. Earlier this week, the police claimed to have arrested TTP Karachi operations chief and some other key operatives. The provincial home ministry has also launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the city with over 500 rounded up in the last few days. It has published advertisements in newspapers warning people not to rent out or sell their houses to foreigners.