Questions being raised over 'fake' Karachi encounter

Karachi, June 28 (ANI): With the identification of three out of the five alleged aides of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud, who were killed in an encounter here on Friday night, several questions are being raised over the claims of security officials regarding the late night crackdown on the extremists.

The three persons killed in the encounter have been identified as Shah Hussain of Wana, Shahid Khan, and Ahmed Ali both residents of Turbat in Balochistan, while the identity of the other two persons is yet to be disclosed.

People residing in the Sohrab Goth area, where the encounter took place, raised questions about the credibility of police' claims and described the shootout as an "engineered encounter".

While five extremists were killed in the encounter, none of the security officials sustained even a minor injury during the operation even though the 'trained' militants had many sophisticated and advanced arms and ammunitions, The News reports.

Moreover, the two-room small apartment where the shootout took place, and which was declared a militant's hideout, is actually used by four watchmen.

"There are four watchmen who live in this place and guard the land in two shifts in the day and night. This is the place where last night, the police killed five men by declaring them Baitullah Mehsud's associates and terrorists," said a watchman.

It is believed that all the five alleged terrorists were brought to Sohrab Goth from somewhere else and then killed.

There were neither any empty bullet cartridges found on the spot nor any bullet marks on the walls of the apartment which certainly puts a question mark over the Karachi police; claims. (ANI)