Two security guards gunned down outside FBR office in Karachi

One of the deceased was a sweeper who was deployed as guard

KARACHI: In an unusual incident, two security guards on duty at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) office in Karachi were killed in a targeted attack early Monday morning. The guards were wearing a uniform that resembled the police uniform.

The regional office of the FBR where the unfortunate incident took place is located in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 17, within the limits of Sharae Faisal police station. The incident took place when the victims were performing security duties at the main gate of the office as per routine.

According to witnesses, at least four armed men riding on two motorcycles targeted the guards. "At first, two armed motorcyclists came close to them. One of them fired at the victims. Later two more came and joined them," said a witness, Imran. "The attackers had covered their faces with helmets." The killers easily fled after committing the crime.



The victims were later identified as Tanzeemul Huda, son of Noorullah, and Faqira, son of Ghunda Amal.

Upon receiving the information, a contingent of law enforcers reached the site and collected the evidence. According to East SSP Irfan Baloch, both the victims were shot multiple times and died shortly after the incident. The police recovered at least eight empty shells of the 9mm and .30 bore pistols from the crime scene. The shells would be sent to the forensic division of the Sindh police, said SSP Baloch.

The incident took an unusual turn when the family of one of the victims, Faqira and the FBR employees started staging protest by laying the victims' bodies at the FBR office. The protesters claimed that while Huda was a private guard, Faqira was at sweeper at the FBR.



"What a joke is this? A sweeper was made a policeman?" questioned Faqira's relative Sanaullah. "A sweeper was deputed on a security duty in a police uniform and was provided a gun without any training. A criminal case should be registered against those who are responsible for this," he demanded.

The protesters blamed the chief security officer, Ikhlaq, over the matter. However, the officer defended himself. "We are already facing a shortage of security staff and I also asked the authorities concerned to enhance the security but no action was taken," he said, adding that he had assigned the security duty to Faqira a few months ago as he had insisted him for it.

Police investigators believe that the recent attack at FBR office could be a part of the series of attacks on police in Karachi. The guards could have been targeted because they apparently wore uniforms like police, sources said.