Two policemen shot dead in broad daylight

Politicians, cops attend funeral prayers, assure families of financial support

KARACHI: The funeral prayers for the two policemen martyred in an incident of targeted killing on Monday were offered at Garden South Police Headquarters on the same day. The police officers were attacked on Monday morning by unidentified assailants outside Mominabad Police Station when they were leaving the station after their duties. Both officials were hit by bullets, fired by the unidentified assailants on motorcycles, in their neck and head which proved to be fatal. They were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in critical condition and died during treatment.

The martyrs, identified as Ahmed Ali son of Din Muhammad and Allah Ditta, son of Allah Bachayo, were both police constables in the Sindh Reserve Police and residents of natural barracks in Saeedabad Police Training Centre. The bodies were handed over to the heirs for burial which will take place in their respective native villages. Allah Dino hailed from Sanghar while Ahmed Ali was from Shadad Kot. Political leaders, police personnel and others joined the aggrieved families for the funeral prayers on Monday.

'Target killing'

The policemen were shot at around 8.30am on Monday outside Mominabad Police Station. Both the officials had come to Karachi a few months earlier to serve in the Sindh Reserve Police. The assailants were able to flee the scene of the crime easily after the attack. Police and Rangers personnel reached the scene after receiving information and began investigations.

Police found four spent shells of bullets shot from a 9mm pistol from the scene of the crime which have been sent to the forensic laboratory. The CCTV footage was also acquired, besides statements of witnesses and other evidence. West DIG Dr Amin Yousufzai and West SSP inspected the crime scene.

Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Surgeon M Saleem said that the deceased were struck by two bullets each in the neck and the head which proved fatal. The bullets were fired from a small weapon, he added. Ahmed Ali was appointed in the police department in 2008 and has left behind three sons and one daughter. Allah Ditta joined the service in 2009 and has left behind two daughters and one son.

Speaking to the media, Dr Yousufzai said that the police was investigating the reason behind this act of target killing. He dismissed the possibility that the attack was linked to the anti-polio campaign which began in the city yesterday (Monday). According to him, the polio teams were not supposed to be in the area when the attack took place. It would be incorrect to link the attack with the polio campaign as the teams were operating in other places at the time, he said, adding that it could not be said who was behind this target killing yet. The polio campaign will not be affected by the target killing of police personnel, said the DIG. He added that the police had faced worse in the past and will continue to be courageous. The police changes its course of action according to the situation at hand, it's not afraid of performing its duty and will curb terrorism, said Dr Yousufzai, adding that there was no red alert at the time. "Usual threats do come but no special threat alert was sent".

Sindh IGP Dr Kaleem Imam and Karachi Police Chief Dr Amir Shaikh took notice of the incident. They have sought an inquiry report from West DIG.

Funeral prayers

The funeral prayers were offered at Garden South Headquarters later on Monday. A special police squad paid tribute to the martyrs whose bodies were wrapped in floral sheets. Adviser to Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab, provincial minister Shabbir Bijarani, Sindh IGP, Karachi police chief, senior police officials and police personnel joined the aggrieved friends and families of the deceased for the funeral prayers.

IGP Dr Imam paid tribute to the services of the martyred police officials and expressed his condolences. He said the perpetrators of this incident would be arrested soon. "These incidents cannot undermine the police's courage. Police will continue to take action against crime, nothing will bar us from protecting the life and property of people," said Dr Imam. He added that the aggrieved families will be facilitated by the police department and directed senior officers to complete the legal process as soon as possible. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2019.