‘Militant’ attack: Former security official killed in factory ambush

Police believe the former FC personnel was the intended target in the attack on the factory.

KARACHI: A former personnel of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) was killed when a group of militants ambushed him at a marble factory in Mianwali Colony in Manghopir on Monday.

The ex-FC man, Rasool Khan Mehsud, used to work as a security guard at Qaiser Marble Factory, located in Mianwali Colony, Manghopir, within the limits of Pirabad police station.

Witnesses and police said that a group of unidentified militants barged into the factory by cutting the window off. Upon seeing this, the watchman opened fire at them. In retaliation, the assailants hurled a locally-manufactured bomb at the rooftop where he was stationed. A witness claimed that the assailants later climbed onto the rooftop, from where they threw the victim down to the ground. "After throwing over the rooftop, they hurled another bomb at him and opened fire at him, killing him on the spot," said the witness. The assailants later managed to escape under the cover of fire.

The victim's body was later moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for autopsy. According to the additional police surgeon of the hospital, Dr Abdul Haq Bhutto, both the victim's arms were broken while he had sustained head injuries from the fall. He added that the victim had also sustained injuries as a result of the bombs and gunfire.

Pirabad SHO Fasiuz Zaman said that the deceased hailed from Waziristan and used to live in the factory premises. He added that this was the second such attack in the past few months. Earlier, the same culprits had attacked the factory and one of their companions was also wounded in the exchange of fire with the security guard who died later.

Police officials said that the armed assailants apparently belonging to a banned militant outfit and had no links with the factory. They believed the target of the attacks was the deceased guard.

"We are still not sure why they wanted to kill Mehsud," said the SHO. "They may have killed him over suspicions of being a police informant or he may have been involved in the dispute between the two groups of banned outfits in Mianwali Colony." Bomb disposal squad experts said that a total of six tennis ball bombs were thrown at the site; four of which exploded while the other two were successfully defused by the BDS officials.

Other killings

Separately, 39-year-old Gujjar Khan was shot dead inside his quarters in Miskeen Colony. Mithadar police SHO Tariq Baig said that the deceased was asleep at his quarters when a young man shot him dead over unexplained reasons. He added that the deceased the hailed from Swat and used to work as labourer in the city.

Meanwhile, a teenager was found dead from C-1 Area in Liaquatabad within the limits of Super Market police station. The victim has yet to be identified. SHO Rizwan Patel said that the deceased was shot once in his head while further investigation was underway. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2014.