[Dawn] Karachi police have arrested seven suspected militants planning to attack security agency offices and officials in the commercial hub of Karachi, police said on Thursday.The militants belonged to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or Taliban Movement of Pakistan, an alliance of factions accused of a wave of attack in urban areas and facing an army assault on their South Waziristan stronghold on the Afghan border, they said.
The suspects were arrested after a shoot-out in an eastern, middle-class neighbourhood of Karachi on Wednesday, city police chief Waseem Ahmed told reporters.
'They were planning to target offices of the law enforcement and intelligence agencies as well as the officials active in the crackdown against militants,' Ahmed said.
Police recovered two jackets which suicide bombers use to pack their explosives, 300 kg (660 lb) of explosives, hand grenades, rockets and other ammunition, he said.
Karachi is home to Pakistan's main stock exchange, central bank and its main port. Many foreign companies also have offices in the city.
While Karachi has been spared a major militant attack in recent months, officials and investors fear the country's biggest city could become a target as government forces attack in the northwest.
Officials also say that organised crime in the city, including robbery and kidnapping, is a source of funding for militant groups.