‘Chaudhry sahib was baba-e-police’

KARACHI: The policemen who gathered at Aga Khan University Hospital, hoping to get a last glimpse of SP Chaudhry Aslam, found it hard to believe that the man was no more.

“Chaudhry Sahab was baba-e-police,” claimed constable Noman Aslam, who had worked with Aslam for over a year at the Crime Investigation Department’s (CID) headquarters. “No officer of the Karachi police could match his great valour as we have never seen him wearing a bulletproof jacket. Today, each and every personnel is grieving by heart.”

A few among them who had worked closely with the slain officer and others who died in the attack lost their temper when they saw the media. “Do write them as shaheeds [martyrs],” shouted one young policeman. “They did not die taking bribes from someone. They were killed in the line of duty.”

Khurram Waris, a veteran police officer and SP Aslam’s former comrade, also arrived at the hospital in civilian clothes. Clearly upset over the tragedy, Waris claimed he feels insecure as he has only been given two guards for security. “Chaudhry [Aslam] used to receive terrorist threats almost every day and they had even sent a priority list for the officers they wish to eliminate,” he pointed out. “I am next in line.”

Around 35 minutes after the blast, AKUH received seven victims of the blasts, who were all identified as CID personnel who were part SP Aslam’s squad. Among them 27-year-old Farhan Junaid and 34-year-old Kamran Khan were pronounced dead on arrival. Both had succumbed to multiple burns.

Meanwhile, Rehmat Ali, 27, Mohammad Fayyaz, 27, Hazrat Bilal, 32, Muhammad Irfan, 28, and Farhan Ahmed Khan, 28, were among the injured. Most of those wounded in the blast had sustained injuries on the lower half of their bodies. Only Rehmat Ali had a chest injury on his right side.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2014.