Police officials walk past the bus which was attacked by a vehicle based IED. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/EXPRESS
Police constable Abdul Nabi’s last thoughts before he fell unconscious were perhaps of financial troubles his family would face if anything were to happen to him in the attack on the police bus near the Razzaqabad Police Training Centre on Thursday.
The doctors at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre found an application in his pocket which stated that the young officer had not received his salary for the last nine months. But it was not only Abdul Nabi who was facing a financial crunch, over 30 other cops who were injured in the Razzakabad police bus attack have not been receiving their salaries due to “official issues”, The Express Tribune learnt.
“Abdul Nabi’s family is already facing financial issues and if he doesn’t recover, his children and parents will be in a state of mental distress,” his cousin Ahmed told The Express Tribune outside the Intensive Care Unit of the JPMC. Hailing from Kashmore district, the police constable is one the nine critically injured policemen of the Special Security Unit (SSU) currently undergoing treatment.
Like his comrades in the attack, he received injuries on his face and upper parts of the body which posed problems in confirming his identity. “The application requesting for his overdue salaries, however, made his identification clear,” Ahmed added. Abdul Nabi has three sons and a daughter and also supports his parents.
Asad Ali hailing from Benazirabad district was also taken to the JPMC but did not survive his injuries. “He was the only brother of three sisters,” Ali’s cousin, a teary Fayaz Ali Siyal, said while sending his body in an ambulance. “We were arranging his wedding but now we have to arrange his coffin and funeral.” Asad got engaged to his cousin last year.
Newly wed Saddam Hussain, however, was lucky enough to make it through the attack and in a stable condition. “I was sitting at the ‘engine’ near the bus driver. I was busy talking to another officer when the blast occurred,” he said. “Travelling from Nawabshah was so painful as we were not sure whether my brother had survived,” said Saddam’s older brother, Ali Asghar. “But thankfully, he has only minor injuries.”
Another survivor, Azizullah Zardari, was being looked after by his father, Zameer Hussain. “Do you need more money? Don’t worry for these injuries. You are my brave and loving son,” were the words that kept pouring out of the worried parent.
“There was nothing but darkness. Everyone was crying and it was not possible for me to comprehend what had actually happened and how many of my fellowmen had left me forever,” said Azizullah.
The police deployed outside the emergency ward were there to ensure security to ‘top visitors’ but relatives complained that not a single person met them. “We are targeted by militants as well as our officials. The former kill us physically and the latter mentally,” a disheartened fellow of Abdul Nabi commented.
“Our men are brave. We have joined the force to fight criminals and terrorists — either they’ll kill us or we’ll get rid of them,” said another dejected police constable, who was going from one ward to another.
According to Dr Seemin Jamali, the joint executive director and in-charge of the JPMC’s emergency ward, the smell of explosives was so intense that it was hard for the doctors to tend to the patients. “There is no control system in the city during such major incidents,” said Dr Jamali. “Earlier, we used to be informed by the commissioner but now it is through the media.”
Law enforcers targeted
A total of 45 personnel have died in the city in 2014.
Jan 1
One police inspector, Bhawaluddin Babar, shot dead in SITE
Jan 4
Two police constables gunned down in Orangi Town
Jan 5
Two policemen gunned down as assailants attack a shop owned by an ANP leader in Baldia Town
Jan 7
One policemen shot dead in Pak Colony
Jan 9
Four policemen, including CID’s Chaudhry Aslam, killed in a bomb blast on Lyari Expressway
Jan 13
A policeman, inspector Malik Iqbal, shot dead in MPR Colony of Orangi Town
Jan 15
Two Rangers’ personnel killed as suspects opened fire at a Rangers’ check-post in Sohrab Goth
Jan 16
Two policemen, head constable Javed and constable Asif, shot dead in attack on police van near Shafiq roundabout in New Karachi
Jan 19
One policeman, assistant sub-inspector Noman, shot dead during patrol in Aram Bagh
Jan 20
One policeman, officer ASI Kamran, shot dead in Korangi Industrial Area
Jan 21
One policeman deployed for polio team security killed in Qayyumabad
Jan 24
One policeman dies in attack on police van near Essa Nagri
Jan 25
Six policemen killed in attack on two police vans in Landhi. ASI Sabir Ali killed in firing at barber shop in Surjani Town
Jan 29
One Rangers personnel, Atiqur Rahman, killed in two consecutive cracker attacks on a Rangers check-post in Nazimabad
Feb 2
One policeman, sub-inspector Shafiq, killed outside his house in Frontier Colony
Feb 3
Four policemen killed in attack on their van in Ibrahim Hyderi
Feb 13
12 policemen killed in explosion on a police bus near Razzakabad Police Training College in Shah Latif Town
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2014.
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If this is the state of Pakistani police, then policemen taking bribes should be make legal in Pakistan.