HYDERABAD: Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Irfan Ali Baloch said on Tuesday police arrested two activists of a Sindhi nationalist organisation for their alleged links with Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and subversive activities to sabotage China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The apprehended individuals, identified as Noor Hassan Bhachho and Masroor Thebo, possessed improvised explosive devices (IED), the SSP told media during a press conference.

“The arrested individuals were being funded by India to weaken CPEC. Their accomplice Abdul Rehman Pirzada fled during the raid in the area of Fort police station,” said the SSP, adding that the culprits belong to the banned Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM).

One pistol and seven improvised grenades were also seized from the two activists and according to reports the two activists were arrested a couple of days ago from different areas.

While the SSP claimed that the arrested are affiliated with JSMM, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (Bashir) (JSQM-B) senior leader Dr Niaz Kalani said that Noor Hassan Bhachho is party’s Hyderabad chapter’s sitting general secretary and Masroor Thebo is also a senior activist.

Pirzado, who escaped the raid, has gone in hiding after police’s raid on his house and denied that JSQM-B’s role in the alleged activities.

“We neither celebrated nor boycotted Independence Day celebrations and we don’t agree with their way of politics”, he said

Baloch, however, was of the opinion that the arrested individuals will lead police to those involved in the recent attack on Rangers in Larkana which killed one.

“JSMM activists raise slogans of ‘go China go’ in their rallies”, SSP alleged.

They are likely to provide a clue of those who attacked a Chinese national in Karachi sometime back, he further said.

Baloch also said that the activists have confessed of being involved in August 14 IED blast underneath Sakhi Abdul Wahab Shah flyover in the area of Fort police station which injured nine.

“Noor Hassan lives in the same area where this act was carried out”, SSP said.

The SSP denied Kalani’s claim that accused are not with JSMM.

“They take shelter of JSQM-B. All those who are presently working in JSMM have mostly been part of JSQM-B or Arisar group”, he told Dawn.com over phone when he was confronted with Kalani’s rebuttal.

“They [JSMM] planned a “go China go” rally in Sann as well”, he said.

Shafi Burfat leads JSMM, formed in 2000, after having served in JSQM-B.

He previously worked as the Jeay Sindh Students Federation general secretary