The encounter allegedly took place at Macchar Colony, Sohrab Goth - an area notorious for the presence of militants. The frequent encounters between the militants and the law enforcement agencies (LEAs), and attacks on the latter as well as anti-polio teams in Sohrab Goth and its surrounding areas are a testament to this. Police claim that they came under heavy fire when they entered the area. They, however, retaliated with full force. As a result, seven militants were killed.
The operation commenced around 4am and was conducted on a tip-off. A large contingent of police officials from District Malir, accompanied by police commandos, participated in the operation. The police had sealed off all entry and exit points.
"The raid was conducted on a tip-off regarding the presence of members of the TTP's Waliur Rehman group," claimed District Malir SSP Rao Anwar. "Seven suspects were killed in the shootout while a few of their comrades managed to flee through the 'kutcha' area along Malir River." A huge cache of explosives and weapons were also seized from the militants' hideout, SSP Anwar added.
During the exchange of gunfire, a fire also broke out at the hideout of the militants following a large explosion. Fire tenders were summoned to the site to extinguish the fire. The bomb disposal squad also reached the scene and confirmed that a tennis ball bomb had exploded during the gun battle, injuring Sohrab Goth SHO Ismail Lashari.
Pakistani Taliban's second-in-command, Waliur Rehman, had already been killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan on May 30 last year, but his group still exists in Karachi and is reportedly being run by Khan Zaman. The group members are largely involved in kidnappings for ransom, extortion and the targeted killings of police personnel.
"We received information regarding the presence of around two dozen militants," Sohrab Goth DSP Qamar Ahmed told The Express Tribune. Though Khan Zaman was earlier reported to have been killed, police believe he is still alive and is running the group. "According to our intelligence reports, he is still alive and is running the group but we are not sure where he is now," he said, in response to a query.
"Besides their involvement in terrorist activities, this group is also involved in snatching and stealing of double-cabin vehicles in Karachi and smuggling them to Afghanistan."
The bodies were taken to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification after medico-legal formalities were completed at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Series of alleged encounters in Sohrab Goth
Over three dozen suspects have been shot dead in several alleged encounters with the police in Sohrab Goth and its surrounding areas since the start of the Karachi Operation in September of last year. The victims include a leader of the Pashtun Student Federation, Shah Kalam Mehsud, who was shot dead by Sohrab Goth police in February. Besides Shah Kalam's family, the families of other people killed in Sohrab Goth have staged several protests, claiming that their beloved were killed in fake encounters.
Residents of Macchar Colony and its surrounding areas gathered on main Super Highway and blocked the flow of traffic. They also set tyres on fire, causing a massive traffic jam. The protesters claimed that innocent people are being killed in the name of the TTP. They demanded an immediate investigation into the encounter.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2014.
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