Traffic police close pickets, fear for their lives

They have requested Sindh IG to provide support in the form of policemen and weapons

KARACHI: Targeted killings of traffic police officers continues in the metropolis, even after the traffic law enforcers have been armed with submachine guns and bulletproof jackets.

This has led the traffic police pickets in Orangi Town, Manghopir, Baldia Town and Banaras Flyover to be shut down.

Three traffic wardens were shot dead at Gulbai check post in Shershah locality on Wednesday night. One of the wardens died on the spot, while the other two were shifted to Civil hospital, Karachi, for treatment. The deceased was identified as Liaquat Ali and the injured as Naveed and Khursheed Muhammad. On Sunday evening, two traffic police constables were shot dead on University Road in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Read: Traffic police constable killed, two injured in Karachi attack

Traffic police official Muhammad Idrees, reader to the traffic DIG Amir Ahmed Shaikh, told The Express Tribune that security has been further beefed up after Wednesday night's attack. He said that the DIG has written to the Sindh IG, requesting the provision of cover to the 309 traffic police check posts by the local police and Rangers. "From now on, the Rangers will provide cover to our traffic police wardens on the roads," he said, adding that more arms have also been demanded from the IG.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2015.