Repeated attacks: Four injured as Rangers check post targeted once more

Paramilitary force’s chief says four suspects taken into custody

KARACHI:

At least three Rangers personnel and a passerby were injured when unidentified persons attacked the paramilitary force's check post, the fifth time this year, in Korangi on Friday afternoon.

A post of the 83 wing Bhittai Rangers at the main Korangi Crossing near Korangi Industrial Area within the limits of Zaman Town police station was attacked at around 3:10pm. "An improvised explosive device (IED) was hurled at the Rangers check post," explained Zaman Town DSP Ali Muhammad Khosa while talking to The Express Tribune. "Two Rangers personnel sustained serious injuries while another received a minor injury," he explained.

A wall of the check post along with a motorcycle was damaged in the blast.

Experts from the bomb disposal squad (BDS) said the IED was similar to those used in earlier attacks on Rangers' posts in districts Central and East this year. "The same technique was used to make the bombs, with minor differences," said a BDS official, explaining that first plastic bottles and balls were used to contain the explosives while this time a hard metal container was used. He said the bomb weighed around 500 grammes and included steel nails. He added that attackers, reportedly riding a motorcycle, most likely threw the bomb at the check post.

Rangers DG Major General Bilal Akbar also visited the check post where he was briefed about the attack. Talking to the media later, he said four people suspected to be involved in the attack have been arrested but their names could not be disclosed at the moment. "Groups from Lyari were involved in the first attack on police and Rangers. Bombs made of plastic containers were used in the second attack, which leads to suspicion that a political party might be involved, while the third type of blast was carried out by terrorists," explained the Rangers DG.

He added that it would be premature to say which group was involved in the latest attack.

The injured paramilitary force personnel were identified as Abdul Ghaffor, Kalimullah and Shafiq, and the passerby as Ashraf Shafi. The injured were shifted to Indus Hospital for medical treatment from where two Rangers personnel were later reportedly shifted to Combined Military Hospital. The passerby was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Following the incident, an extra contingent of Rangers and police reached the site and collected evidence. A young man was also taken into custody from the site and shifted to an undisclosed location.

Condemning the attack, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah directed the police chief to submit a detailed report of the incident.

He said remnants of terrorists are making unsuccessful attempts to harass citizens and our brave soldiers. "Our forces have broken their backs and are committed to fight them with full vigour because our people are united against them," he said, adding that their [terrorists'] nefarious designs to destabilise the country in general and create a law and order situation in Karachi in particular have already been defeated.

He directed the IG to arrest the culprits and also expressed sympathies with the injured soldiers.

Also taking notice of the incident, home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal sought a report from DIG East, and directed relevant officials to increase surveillance and step up efforts to arrest the perpetrators.

Major Attacks in the past three months

Jan 21

Unidentified persons riding a motorcycle threw a locally made cracker at two police mobiles conducting snap checking near the Nazimabad flyover near Matric board office. No one was hurt in the incident

Jan 26

Panic gripped the Defence locality after news spread about a bomb attack at the residence of Balochistan minister for irrigation Nawab Changez Marri at DHA, however, the bomb did not explode

Jan 29

Fear gripped the city following twin bomb attacks at a Rangers check post under Matric Board Office Bridge in Nazimabad and a police patrolling mobile at Liaquatabad’s Super Market. No loss of life was reported

Feb 7

A Rangers check post was partially damaged after unidentified persons attacked it at Gujjar Nullah in district Central with a home-made bomb. No loss of life was reported in the blast

Feb 12

Panic gripped the metropolis following blasts within a span of two hours targeting the Mobina Town police station and APWA Girls College in Federal B Area. No loss of life was reported

March 13

Two Rangers check posts came under attack near Moti Mahal in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Essa Nagri in Aziz Bhatti. However, no injuries and deaths were reported in the incident

March 16

Unidentified gunmen hurled grenades at Mominabad police station and the residence of Sindh High Court judge Justice Nazir Akbar in DHA Phase-V. No casualties were reported

March 18

At least three Rangers personnel and a passerby were wounded when unidentified men attacked a paramilitary force’s check post at the Korangi Crossing near the industrial estate

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2016.