Attacks on Rangers

The days of horror are long past when terror struck as a matter of routine in Pakistani cities. People at long last heaved a sigh of relief when years of insurgency was finally crushed by our resolute armed forces, rendering in the process great sacrifices of life and limb. The valiant troops successfully vanquished the rebel hordes, bringing to an end the most violent era in the country. But the remnants of that insurrection keep rearing their ugly heads off and on. The near-simultaneous attacks on Rangers officials in Sindh’s three different cities on Friday are one more feeble attempt to shatter the morale of law enforcement personnel.

According to media reports, two Rangers officials were martyred and one was injured in three separate attacks in Ghotki, Karachi and Larkana each. A blast near a meat shop in Ghotki resulted in two Rangers officials and one civilian losing their lives. The explosion took place near a Rangers van parked in a market. At least three people also suffered injuries. The martyred officials were identified as Zahoor Ahmed and Fayyaz Ahmed while the civilian was identified as Ghulam Mustafa. According to the police, Zahoor and Fayyaz regularly bought meat from the shop.

Separately, a man lost his life while a Rangers personnel Munawar was injured in a hand-grenade attack near a centre of the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme in Karachi’s Liaquatabad area, police said. Seven others have also been injured, in what was earlier described as a cracker explosion. Shortly after these two incidents, a cracker explosion also took place in Larkana outside a public school, where a Rangers van was parked. There were no casualties, police said.

After the attacks, a tweet posted by a relatively unknown account said that a Sindhi nationalist group has claimed responsibility for the explosions. Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered an investigation into the incidents “so that those responsible can be brought to justice”.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2020.

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