Cop killing

After a relatively long hiatus, the spectre of targeted killings in Karachi has raised its head again. A senior officer of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) was gunned down in Karimabad over the weekend. Two gunmen on a motorcycle rode up to DSP Ali Raza as soon as he got off his bullet-proof vehicle and shot him multiple times from close range. Raza was declared dead on arrival at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The slain officer was said to be a close associate of SSP Chaudhry Aslam — who was killed in a bomb attack in 2014 — and worked against the outlawed groups, including TTP, sectarian outfits as well as Lyari gangsters.

The concerning incident has triggered a sense of foreboding for the millions living in the teeming metropolis of Karachi. The fearful memories of years of targeted attacks on cops, judges, members of the civil society as well as minority communities are still too deeply etched in the minds of the city’s residents. Sunday’s attack is enough to ring alarm bells in the highest echelons of Karachi’s security apparatus. If such a senior cop can be gunned down and the assailants escape without any consequence, is anyone safe in Karachi anymore? Considering the kinds of groups and gangs the DSP has dealt with, it is important that his killing is investigated from all angles.

The metropolis’ police need to take the threat seriously, more so after the militant TTP and JuA announced a counter to Operation Azm-i-Istehkam. The government must intensify intelligence efforts, enhance security measures, and adopt a zero-tolerance policy against militancy to prevent such incidents in the future. Additionally, fostering community engagement and trust in law enforcement can play a crucial role in gathering vital information to thwart potential attacks.