Fresh details have emerged from the investigation into the terrorist attack on a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar, with an arrested Afghan national claiming that he and his accomplices received militant training in Afghanistan before carrying out the assault.
Arrested Afghan Terrorist Identifies Himself as JuA Member
According to security sources, the arrested terrorist identified himself as Usman Ali, an Afghan national from Jalalabad in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. He claimed to be a member of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), which Pakistani authorities describe as an Indian-backed militant outfit.
Ali disclosed that four terrorists participated in the attack, identifying his accomplices as Abdul Hadi, Janan, and Umar Farooq.
The attack took place on Saturday night when heavily armed terrorists targeted the Rangers facility. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), three Rangers personnel embraced martyrdom while repelling the attack. Security forces killed three attackers during the operation and arrested one injured terrorist.
Claims of Training in Afghanistan
During interrogation, the suspect claimed that all members of the group underwent militant training in Afghanistan under an instructor identified as Umar Qari.
According to the suspect, the training included the preparation of suicide jackets, handling explosives, and combat tactics.
“All of us underwent rigorous training in Afghanistan. We were trained to assemble suicide jackets ourselves and received specialised militant training,” the suspect allegedly told investigators.
He further claimed that travel arrangements for the group to Karachi were made in Afghanistan.
Weapons Brought from Waziristan
The suspect alleged that the group entered Pakistan approximately seven days before the attack and stayed in an under-construction building arranged by Abdul Hadi, whom he described as a resident of Bajaur.
According to his statement, the weapons used in the assault were transported from Waziristan by Hadi.
Ali also claimed that Hadi was familiar with Karachi and had previously operated in the city.
Attack Execution
According to the suspect’s account, one of the attackers, Janan, threw an explosive device at the Rangers camp before security personnel responded.
The arrested militant stated that he was shot and injured while attempting to flee during the exchange of fire, while Abdul Hadi was killed in the retaliatory operation.
ISPR: Three Terrorists Killed, One Captured
In its official statement, ISPR said the Rangers’ swift and effective response foiled the terrorist attack.
According to the military’s media wing:
- Three Rangers personnel were martyred during the operation.
- Three terrorists were killed.
- One injured Afghan national was arrested.
- The attackers belonged to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA).
JuA and Pakistan’s Security Concerns
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar was established in 2014 by Abdul Wali alias Omar Khalid Khorasani after splitting from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The two groups later reunited in 2024.
According to publicly available information on the United Nations Security Council website, JuA has operated from Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.
Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban administration to dismantle militant sanctuaries allegedly being used to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Islamabad maintains that its concerns have not been adequately addressed.
Security Analysts Cite Confessions as Evidence
Defence and security analysts say the statements made by the arrested suspect, if verified through the ongoing investigation, reinforce Pakistan’s longstanding concerns regarding the use of Afghan territory by militant groups planning attacks against Pakistan.
Authorities have said investigations into the Karachi Rangers camp attack are continuing, while efforts are underway to identify and dismantle the network that facilitated the attackers’ movement and logistical support inside Pakistan.
Not the First Case
Pakistani authorities have repeatedly stated that several terrorists arrested or neutralised in recent years have been identified as Afghan nationals or admitted to receiving militant training inside Afghanistan.
- January 2023 – Peshawar Police Lines Mosque Bombing: Investigators said the suicide attack that killed more than 80 people had links to TTP networks operating from Afghanistan, with Pakistani authorities alleging cross-border planning and facilitation.
- March 2024 – Bisham Suicide Attack on Chinese Engineers: Following the suicide bombing that killed five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver, Pakistani investigators said the attack was planned by TTP leadership based in Afghanistan. Islamabad formally shared evidence with the Afghan authorities.
- 2024–2026 – Multiple Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs): Pakistani security forces have repeatedly reported killing or arresting Afghan nationals during counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, while recovering documents allegedly linking them to militant infrastructure across the border.
