Death toll of Karachi police chief office attack rises to 5; FIR registered

The death toll of the audacious attack on the Karachi Police Office (KPO) rose to five on Sunday while a first information report (FIR) was registered under terrorism charges against the perpetrators and their facilitators.

The hours-long combat between terrorists and law-enforcement agencies — comprising Pak Army Special Service Group (SSG), Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Sindh Police — on Friday at the KPO located at Sharea Faisal left four people martyred and 18 injured. All three terrorists belonging to the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed.

Earlier today, a police officer injured during the attack succumbed to his injuries during treatment. A statement from the Sindh police spokesperson said that Abdul Latif, 50, had embraced martyrdom.

He had joined the police in 2014 on ex-army quota and was performing his duty at the Special Security Unit. He left behind a widow and seven children, including six daughters.

The martyred policeman’s funeral prayers were held at police headquarters in Garden, which was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Sindh chief secretary, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IG) Ghulam Nabi Memon and other senior officials.

CM Shah and IG Memon met with the victim’s heirs and appreciated the bravery of the martyred officer.

The IG also chaired a meeting to ensure “foolproof security” at Police Lines and other important installations, according to the police spokesperson.

Memon directed the officers to enhance security at police lines and mosques situated there.

“Specific focus should be given to important government offices, buildings and training centres etc,” the IG ordered, adding that all security steps should be made enhanced as the protection of citizens’ life and property was the police’s first priority.

“The KPO incident was blood-curdling and the investigation should be brought to its logical conclusion,” Memon said. The IG pointed out that a high-powered committee had been formed for the investigation.

He also directed the officers to take care of the families of the martyred and that quality treatment should be provided to all injured persons.

Memon also visited the Aga Khan University Hospital to check on those injured in the attack.

FIR registered

Meanwhile, a FIR, , a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was registered against the perpetrators and their facilitators on the complaint of Saddar Station House Officer (SHO) Khalid Hussain. Hussain said the investigation had been handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Department.

The complaint was registered at the CTD police station on Saturday under Sections 34 (common intention), 120 (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50) and 460 (breaking into a house for murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code, and Sections 3/4 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 read with Sections 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) and 21(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Hussain said that he was busy patrolling the vicinity of the Saddar police station on Friday when he was alerted at 7:15pm that “unknown armed terrorists” had attacked the KPO, adding that he reached the spot at 7:20pm along with other police personnel. He said that additional personnel were requested from other police stations and law enforcement agencies.

The FIR said that an operation was then planned under the supervision of South Deputy Inspector General of Police Irfan Baloch. It added that the KPO was a four-storey building in which the terrorists were resorting to firing and using hand grenades.

“In light of the instructions from officers, forces entered the building from different points under a plan of action,” the FIR said. The complainant said that the fight with the terrorists moved from the second floor to the third floor once they fled and then opened fire and used grenades, injuring police and rangers personnel.

“Due to strong retaliatory fire from security forces, one terrorist blew himself on the third floor’s stairs while his accomplices reached the fourth floor where one terrorist was killed by retaliatory fire in an intense battle,” the FIR said, adding that the final terrorist took up position on the roof, injuring security personnel with his fire but was soon killed.

The FIR said that witnesses said that the terrorists had left their car outside the Saddar Police Line family quarters, walked to the KPO and entered after cutting the barbed wire. It added that there were two other people with them who had pointed out the KPO to the militants and fled after hugging them.

The SHO said that the KPO building was severely damaged due to the incident and the terrorists had the support of “foreign powers” for their planned operation, adding that the TTP had also claimed responsibility via social media for the attack.

The police officer requested that an investigation be initiated after registering the case about the incident.