Seven militants killed in Pakistan

Pakistan police today shot dead at least seven Taliban militants and arrested five others who were allegedly involved in a fatal bomb attack on a senior police officer here.
They were killed in a gunbattle with the police in the notorious Lasi and Ayub Goth areas of Malir, on the outskirts of the city.
"On getting information we carried out a full scale operation and were met with strong resistance from this group of militants who used heavy ammo against us," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir, Rao Anwar said.
"In the operation seven militants were killed and five others captured in injured condition while at least two of them managed to escape," he said.

The militants were allegedly involved in the attack on Chaudhry Aslam who led a strong campaign against the terrorists in Pakistan's biggest city.
Having survived several assassination attempts in the past, he along with two other officers died when a bomb-laden vehicle targeted his convoy on the Lyari expressway on January 10.

Militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Anwar said three of those killed were involved in preparing the bomb-laden vehicle that killed Aslam and two other officers.
"Hazrat Hussain, Lal Dada and Amin were those involved in planning the attack on Aslam," he said.

He said the police had recovered large quantity of explosives, arms and ammunition and suicide jackets from the safe houses.
For sometime now some of the Katchi Abadis and Goths have become no go areas with militants having taken refuge there in safe houses.