Traffic DSP, guard shot dead while on routine patrol in Karachi's Azizabad
Death toll rises after ninth targeted attack on policemen in the city
DSP Hanif and PC Sultan were on their way when unidentified gunmen opened fire on their car. PHOTO: EXPRES
KARACHI:
The death toll of policemen killed in targeted attacks in Karachi rose to 16 on Friday, as a traffic deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and his driver-cum-guard were gunned down in 2017's ninth attack on the police.
Sixteen policemen, including three traffic policemen, have been gunned down this year by armed assailants on motorcycles. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies, however, have failed to make any breakthrough in a single case. The government is now asking the public for their help in arresting the attackers and has offered a Rs10 million reward.
Militant group Ansaral Sharia Pakistan claimed responsibility for Friday’s killings through pamphlets found at the crime scene. This is the second time investigators have found pamphlets at a crime scene.
The incident
The police official killed on Friday, 56-year-old Hanif Khan, was performing routine duty in his official vehicle along with his driver-cum-security guard, Sultan Ishtiaq, 54, when armed motorcyclists opened fire on the vehicle near Shaheed-e-Millat Girls College in Azizabad at around 9:25am.
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Witnesses said armed motorcyclists wore pants, shirts and helmets. "They stopped the car and opened indiscriminate fire on the driver’s and passenger side," revealed a witness, Ovais Baig. "They [the attackers] completed their task quickly, threw some pamphlets and then left," he narrated.
The police and Rangers reached the site after receiving reports of gunshots but were unable to apprehend the assailants. Investigators recovered at least 18 empty 9mm shells and sent them to the forensic division for ballistics cross-matching.
"DSP sahib was shot at least five times, while his guard was shot four times, leaving them dead on the spot," explained Azizabad SHO Tasawar Ameer. The officer said that at least four trained armed militants on two motorcycles carried out the attack. They had planned properly and had done their homework, he said. According to SHO Ameer, the DSP was on routine patrol in the area when the militants targeted him and his driver.
"We are looking for closed-circuit television camera footage as well as witnesses to make the sketches of the suspects to help investigate the case," the officer explained. "But it seems that the same group involved in the previous attacks on police could be behind this incident."
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The officer said that a case has been registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department and the investigation had been transferred to the same department.
Not the first time
Karachi has witnessed at least nine terrorist attacks on police officials since the beginning of the year. The first attack came on January 4, when police Sub Inspector Iqbal Mehmood was shot dead by armed men on Sharae Faisal. Since then, eight other attacks have taken place and investigators have made several claims of busting sleeper cells of terrorist outfits but have failed to find those responsible for the killings. This is despite the fact that various terrorist organisations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Afia Siddiqui Brigade, Jamaatul Ahrar and the newly-emerged Ansaral Shariah Pakistan, have claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Ansaral Shariah Pakistan claims responsibility
The police found pamphlets at the crime scene warning of a terrorist-led operation, 'Radul Artedad', against security forces. Ansaral Sharia Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killings through the pamphlets. Composed on a computer, the pamphlets bear a message in Urdu, stating that the attack was part of 'Radul Artedad' and was against security forces.
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"This attack was in response to battle charging and insulting prisoners belonging to the [jihadist organisations] and their families… and barging into their houses and harassing the families on the pretext of Karachi operation," read the pamphlet. In the message, while expressing their condolences to the families of their comrades belonging to alQaeda in the Indian Sub Contingent (AQIS) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan who were recently killed in encounters, they also warned the country's top intelligence agency and Malir SSP Rao Anwar to ‘stop playing with the fire’.
Funeral prayers
The funeral prayers of the martyred DSP and his guard were held at the Special Security Unit (SSU) Headquarters after Friday prayers and were attended by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Karachi Corps Commander Lt General Shahid Baig Mirza, Rangers Director-General Major General Muhammad Saeed, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, Sindh Inspector-General of Police Allah Dino Khawaja, Karachi Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo, SSU Commandant Maqsood Ahmed and other senior police officials.
Reward announced
Expressing their grief over the incident, the chief minister, home minister and police chief sought a detailed inquiry report into the killings from the Karachi additional IG and DIG of West Zone. They directed that security be kept on high alert in the metropolis and efforts be made to arrest the attackers soon.
Siyal also announced a Rs10 million reward for those who aid the police arrest the attackers. "The war against terrorism will continue. We are not afraid of such acts and will continue our actions against them," said IG Khawaja.
The death toll of policemen killed in targeted attacks in Karachi rose to 16 on Friday, as a traffic deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and his driver-cum-guard were gunned down in 2017's ninth attack on the police.
Sixteen policemen, including three traffic policemen, have been gunned down this year by armed assailants on motorcycles. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies, however, have failed to make any breakthrough in a single case. The government is now asking the public for their help in arresting the attackers and has offered a Rs10 million reward.
Militant group Ansaral Sharia Pakistan claimed responsibility for Friday’s killings through pamphlets found at the crime scene. This is the second time investigators have found pamphlets at a crime scene.
The incident
The police official killed on Friday, 56-year-old Hanif Khan, was performing routine duty in his official vehicle along with his driver-cum-security guard, Sultan Ishtiaq, 54, when armed motorcyclists opened fire on the vehicle near Shaheed-e-Millat Girls College in Azizabad at around 9:25am.
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Witnesses said armed motorcyclists wore pants, shirts and helmets. "They stopped the car and opened indiscriminate fire on the driver’s and passenger side," revealed a witness, Ovais Baig. "They [the attackers] completed their task quickly, threw some pamphlets and then left," he narrated.
The police and Rangers reached the site after receiving reports of gunshots but were unable to apprehend the assailants. Investigators recovered at least 18 empty 9mm shells and sent them to the forensic division for ballistics cross-matching.
"DSP sahib was shot at least five times, while his guard was shot four times, leaving them dead on the spot," explained Azizabad SHO Tasawar Ameer. The officer said that at least four trained armed militants on two motorcycles carried out the attack. They had planned properly and had done their homework, he said. According to SHO Ameer, the DSP was on routine patrol in the area when the militants targeted him and his driver.
"We are looking for closed-circuit television camera footage as well as witnesses to make the sketches of the suspects to help investigate the case," the officer explained. "But it seems that the same group involved in the previous attacks on police could be behind this incident."
Traffic police give one day's salary to slain colleagues' families
The officer said that a case has been registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department and the investigation had been transferred to the same department.
Not the first time
Karachi has witnessed at least nine terrorist attacks on police officials since the beginning of the year. The first attack came on January 4, when police Sub Inspector Iqbal Mehmood was shot dead by armed men on Sharae Faisal. Since then, eight other attacks have taken place and investigators have made several claims of busting sleeper cells of terrorist outfits but have failed to find those responsible for the killings. This is despite the fact that various terrorist organisations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Afia Siddiqui Brigade, Jamaatul Ahrar and the newly-emerged Ansaral Shariah Pakistan, have claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Ansaral Shariah Pakistan claims responsibility
The police found pamphlets at the crime scene warning of a terrorist-led operation, 'Radul Artedad', against security forces. Ansaral Sharia Pakistan claimed responsibility for the killings through the pamphlets. Composed on a computer, the pamphlets bear a message in Urdu, stating that the attack was part of 'Radul Artedad' and was against security forces.
CTD dismantles two militant sleeper cells in Karachi
"This attack was in response to battle charging and insulting prisoners belonging to the [jihadist organisations] and their families… and barging into their houses and harassing the families on the pretext of Karachi operation," read the pamphlet. In the message, while expressing their condolences to the families of their comrades belonging to alQaeda in the Indian Sub Contingent (AQIS) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan who were recently killed in encounters, they also warned the country's top intelligence agency and Malir SSP Rao Anwar to ‘stop playing with the fire’.
Funeral prayers
The funeral prayers of the martyred DSP and his guard were held at the Special Security Unit (SSU) Headquarters after Friday prayers and were attended by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Karachi Corps Commander Lt General Shahid Baig Mirza, Rangers Director-General Major General Muhammad Saeed, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, Sindh Inspector-General of Police Allah Dino Khawaja, Karachi Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo, SSU Commandant Maqsood Ahmed and other senior police officials.
Reward announced
Expressing their grief over the incident, the chief minister, home minister and police chief sought a detailed inquiry report into the killings from the Karachi additional IG and DIG of West Zone. They directed that security be kept on high alert in the metropolis and efforts be made to arrest the attackers soon.
Siyal also announced a Rs10 million reward for those who aid the police arrest the attackers. "The war against terrorism will continue. We are not afraid of such acts and will continue our actions against them," said IG Khawaja.