Two Pakistan Army personnel killed as vehicle targeted in Karachi

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemns attack; vows not to let Karachi operation be derailed

KARACHI: At least two security personnel were killed on Tuesday after unidentified gunmen fired on their vehicle near Parking Plaza in Karachi’s Saddar area.

"They were the soldiers of the security agency who were critically injured," Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar told reporters. "One was later martyred," he said.

Later, the injured security personnel succumbed to his wounds in hospital.

“We have collected some empty bullet casings of 9mm pistol from the scene, however, further investigations are still underway,” he added.

Police said the soldiers were patrolling a crowded area of the city when their vehicle was attacked.

"The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes," senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters.

Two military police personnel shot dead in Karachi

The Pakistan Army vehicle which was attacked in Karachi on Tuesday. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Dr Kaleem Shaikh, at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical College (JPMC), told AFP the deceased were shot in the head and face.

According to the ISPR, the deceased personnel were identified as Sepoy Abdul Razzaq and Lance Naik Khadim Hussain.

Sepoy Khadim. PHOTO: ISPR

In December last year, masked gunmen riding a motorcycle had shot dead two military policemen at the city’s main MA Jinnah Road.

Witnesses said bike-riding militants took head-shots of the two military police personnel who were sitting inside their vehicle.

Lance Naik Khadim Hussain. PHOTO: ISPR

Mehar said investigators would examine if there was any link between the two killings.

Nawaz vows not to let Karachi operation be derailed

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack on military personnel.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on military personnel in Karachi.https://t.co/sK2UIWygWK

— PMLN (@pmln_org) July 26, 2016

“The prime minister has directed the ministry of interior and government of Sindh to hunt down the attackers. We will not allow these terrorists to derail the ongoing operation for restoration of peace in Karachi,” a statement issued by the PM’s office quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, Sindh IG AD Khawaja took notice of the attack and directed the AIG Karachi to submit a comprehensive report on the incident.