CM terms KPO attack ‘security lapse’

Murad says terrorists could have been stopped at entrance

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday said that last week's brazen attack on the Karachi Police Office (KPO) was an intelligence and security lapse while calling for an assessment of weaknesses in law enforcement.

The chief executive, while giving a policy statement on the floor of the Sindh Assembly, said that it was disconcerting how terrorists from the other end of the country were able to travel to Karachi and storm the city police chief's office. The House unanimously adopted a resolution to condemn the attack.

"It was a failure of intelligence gathering that we could not collect the information," he said. Three armed men armed with sub-machine guns, grenades and suicide vests occupied the office for over three hours on Friday evening. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shah, who also has the Home department portfolio, said the sedan used by the terrorists had changed ownership several times based on its 'transfer letter'. A first information report (FIR) had been registered against the banned group, he said.

The chief minister expressed ire at the policemen deployed at the entrance of the Karachi police chief's office.

"When the terrorists were cutting the barbed wire, Constable Abbas Leghari confronted them and was killed," he said. "Where were the other policemen when they were cutting the [barbed] wires?"

He said that the attack could have been contained at the entrance if those posted there were performing their duty.

He lauded the response of law-enforcement teams, particularly police and Rangers, upon being notified of the attack.

Security measures

The chief minister announced several new measures and protocols to deals with such incidents, including a crackdown on display of weapons by people in civilian clothes.

"Security guards not in uniform would not be allowed to carry weapons in vehicles." In such instances, the vehicles would be impounded and the person arrested.

A security audit of strategic institutions was underway, he informed the House while adding that another was planned.

Shah also talked about a SOPs for motorists in case of incidents like the Friday attack which took place off Sharae Faisal, Karachi's busiest road that runs across the city. A patch of the road was closed for traffic during the operation.

Rescue & reporting

The chief minister lauded rescue services for their quick response. He said they were among the earliest at the scene and one member of an ambulance crew lost his life in the attack. He also lauded the media for its coverage 'even when there was a blackout in the area and there was a barrage of gunfire'.

He urged both welfare workers and media professionals to do their duties responsibility while adding that SOPs would be issued to them as well.

Early responders

A squad of six to seven Rangers personnel, led by a brigadier, were among the earliest to arrive at the scene and supported police in the operation, said Shah.

Our police personnel showed similar urgency, including the South district DIG, and officers of CTD and Special Branch even though they were not posted in the area, he continued.

Army snipers were deployed on the rooftop of the nearby buildings and a plan was in place to use navy choppers in the operation. "But the police and Rangers took out two terrorists while the third detonated the suicide vest," he said.

The agenda of the Assembly was deferred after the chief minister's statement and subsequent resolution on the issue. The session was adjourned till Tuesday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2023.