Three terrorists killed in gun battle that lasted for three-and-a-half hours n President, PM condemn attack on police office n Interior minister says ‘too early to determine’ which group is behind the attack.

 

KARACHI   -    At least five people in­cluding two policemen and one Rangers person­nel were martyred and 14 others injured after terrorists stormed the police headquarters lo­cated on Shahrah-e-Fais­al in the port city late Fri­day, officials said. 

According to rescue workers, five people were martyred when a suicide bomber blew himself up on the fourth floor of the Karachi Po­lice Office (KPO) build­ing. Police sources said gunshots and explosion were heard near the KPO as the attackers had entered the building. 

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said three ter­rorists were killed in the gun battle that last­ed for three-and-a-half hours. “I can so far con­firm that the Karachi Po­lice Office (KPO) build­ing has been cleared. Three terrorists have been neutralised,” Wa­hab wrote on Twitter late Friday night. 

“The latest informa­tion is that 4 people were martyred (2 po­licemen, 1 rangers & 1 civilian) while 14 people are injured, who are being treat­ed. Out of the injured 1 person is critical while the condition of 13 injured persons is stable,” tweets Wahab.

A police officer and a janitor died in the attack while four police and Rangers personnel were also injured in the terror­ist attack, Edhi Ambulance Ser­vice said. Up to 10 militants at­tacked the police station with hand grenades and shots were fired, an eyewitness told report­ers shortly after the attack. 

Authorities were yet to con­firm any group’s involvement. However, the terrorist group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, according to spokesman Mohammad Khorasani. 

Rescue teams reached the site of the attack, according to video released by Chhipa Ambulance Service, in which gunfire could be heard. 

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told a private TV chan­nel that the attack took place around 7:10pm. He said that the city police chief was not cur­rently in Karachi. 

Earlier, the Sindh govern­ment spokesperson said ac­cording to the latest informa­tion available, four people had been killed. He added that 14 people had been injured and were being given medical treat­ment. “Out of the injured, one person is critical while the con­dition of 13 injured persons is stable,” Wahab said.

Police surgeon, Dr Summai­ya Syed said that the bodies of a police constable and a civil­ian were brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). Dr Syed added that 12 wounded people, including five police and six Rangers person­nel were also brought in with gunshot injuries. One of the wounded is an Edhi worker. The wounded also include police and Rangers personnel.

Taking strict notice of the ter­rorist attack on Karachi Police Office, Prime Minister Muham­mad Shehbaz Sharif sought re­port of the incident from the Chief Minister of Sindh. The prime minister also appreciat­ed the police and security forc­es for their strong action against the terrorists.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to provide full support from the federal gov­ernment in the operation clean-up against terrorists.

The prime minister said to eradicate the menace of terror­ism, the entire state power and cooperation must be used. He said the resolve and determi­nation of the police and law en­forcement agencies cannot be broken by such cowardly acts.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaul­lah also strongly condemned the terrorist attack and directed the security agencies for inte­grated operation against terror­ists. The minister also directed to provide full cooperation to Sindh government in the action against terrorists. He said po­lice and other security agencies are playing a courageous role in the war against terrorism and the entire nation stands with the security agencies in the war against terrorism.

A clearance operation against terrorists at the 4th floor of Ka­rachi Police Office by an An­ti-Terrorist Wing of Pakistan Rangers Sindh is underway, of­ficials said shortly before Friday midnight. According to spokes­man for Rangers on Friday, three floors were cleared by the Rangers. “A Brigadier and Wing Commanders of Qalandar Force of Rangers Counter-Terrorism Division are leading the opera­tion,” the spokesman informed. He said three Rangers person­nel were injured in the opera­tion. The injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital for medical treatment.

Police officials said a heavy contingent of Rangers, police and other law enforcement agencies had been called as the police force had cordoned off the entire area. Inspector Gen­eral of Police (IGP) Sindh Ghu­lam Nabi Memon talking to me­dia informed that two of the attackers had been killed. Ka­rachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho, while talking to media outlets, also confirmed the ter­rorist attack and informed that the exchange of firing with ter­rorists was still underway. The Rangers spokesman informed that about 8 to 10 terrorists had attacked the building. 

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday strongly con­demned the terror attack on po­lice office in Karachi.

In a statement, he prayed for the swift recovery of the in­jured. He said the whole nation stood with the security forces in the fight against terrorism. “Ef­forts would continue till com­plete elimination of the menace of terrorism,” he added.

Federal Interior Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan on Friday said that it was too early to deter­mine which terror outfit could be behind the attack on the Ka­rachi Police Office.

Talking to a private news channel, the interior minister did not rule out the foreign in­volvement, saying it’s prema­ture at this stage to say this with conformity, but it was apparent that police personnel were the target of the attack like Pesha­war incident.

Rana Sana Ullah said that he had received a briefing on the attack from the Inspector Gen­eral of Sindh Police Ghulam Nabi Memon and the Sindh chief secretary.

The minister added that as per what he had been told, there were six to seven terrorists who had stormed the KPO through its front door. The interior min­ister said the terrorists lobbed grenades to gain access to the police office.

He said as per the Karachi AIG Javeed Akhter Odho, the terror­ist had reached the third floor (the top floor of the building) where armed guards and other police officers had engaged the attackers. “But the situation is not clear yet,” he added.

Asked whether he had any prior knowledge about a threat to the attack, Sanaullah denied any such threat alert. “There was a general threat of terror­ism across the country but there was no specific threat for this office,” he added.

“Once police and Rangers en­ter the building, they will be able to neutralize the terror­ists,” the interior minister said quoting Karachi’s top cop.

He further said that it was possible that some of the at­tackers could be wearing ‘explo­sives-laden suicide vests’.

The minister said that he would be able to share more in­formation once the operation is completed.