Targeted violence: Six killed in attacks on Karachi police vans

Gun and cracker bomb attacks target two police vehicles.

KARACHI:

Six policemen were killed in two back-to-back attacks on as many police patrol vans in the Landhi neighbourhood of the metropolitan city on Saturday night, pegging the day’s death toll from violence at 15.

“Unidentified gunmen lobbed a cracker bomb at a police van deployed near the residence of Afaq Ahmed, the chief of Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi, in Landhi No 6 around 8:30pm,” District East police chief DIG Munir Shaikh told The Express Tribune. “All three policemen on board died on the spot.”

Ten minutes later, another police mobile van came under gun attack around 100 metres away from the site of the first attack. “Gunmen opened fire on the van which was coming to the rescue of their fellow policemen,” DIG Shaikh said. “Three policemen were killed and one was injured in the second attack.”

The casualties were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. “We received six bodies and one injured police inspector who is in a stable condition,” the hospital’s deputy executive director, Dr Seemin Jamali, told The Express Tribune.

Extra contingents of police and paramilitary Rangers were rushed to the site. They cordoned off the entire locality and collected vital forensic evidence. A manhunt was also launched for the assailants.



“The first mobile van of the Rapid Response Force was stationed at the corner of the street to guard Afaq Ahmed’s house,” said SP Faisal Noor. “The second van belonged to the Landhi police station.”

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen attacked the second van mistakenly. “The second van was taking an ailing officer to a nearby hospital. The gunmen, who were fleeing after the first attack, opened fire on the van fearing that it was chasing them,” one witness told The Express Tribune, requesting anonymity.

About the first attack, he said the gunmen not only lobbed a cracker bomb but also fired gunshots at the policemen who stepped out of the vehicle.

Police believe the gunmen had done proper homework for the two attacks. “It is a preplanned attack,” said SHO Shoaib Alam. “Over half a dozen gunmen riding on motorcycles were involved in the attacks.”

The deceased were identified as ASIs Javed Khan and Nadeem Khan, head constable Asim and constables Fida Hussain, Khalil Sadiq and Asif Elahi Buksh. The injured sub-inspector was identified as Shehzad Ali.

A spokesperson for the MQM-H, Khalid Hameedy, condemned the attack and called for more security for the party leader. “Now we have concerns over the security of Afaq Ahmed. The government should enhance his security,” he added.

Provincial Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed the provincial police chief IG Shahid Nadeem Baloch to submit a report on the twin attacks.

Earlier in the day, nine people – including a police official and two political workers – were killed in separate attacks in different neighbourhoods of the city.

Violence remains a terrible scourge despite the ongoing targeted operation in the city.

However, it is the police force that has borne the brunt. Twenty-six police officials – including SP-CID Chaudhry Aslam Khan – have been killed so far this year. Most of these killings took place in Surjani, Arambagh, PIB Colony, Shah Faisal Colony, Taimuria, Yousuf Plaza, Orangi Town, Landhi and Korangi neighbourhoods.

According to official statistics, 166 policemen and 19 Rangers troops were killed in 2013. “These killings were unprecedented in the history of Karachi police,” said a senior police officer. “But the sheer number of policemen killed in less than one month indicates that 2014 could be worse than the previous year.”


Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2014.