KPO attack: Important development surfaced during investigation

Security check posts were vacant at time of KPO attack Entry and exit points were unguarded when attacked Army has taken over the Karachi chief's office KARACHI: Some important development...

DIG East Muqadas Haider announced the building has been cleared. He said the operation at the Karachi Police Office has been completed.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that one policeman and one civilian had been killed. He added that three Rangers personnel, two policemen and one civilian had been injured.

Police have cleared three floors of the five-storey building. The terrorists are holed up on the 4th floor. A powerful explosion was heard which damaged parts of the building.

Inspector-General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon said that two terrorists have been killed in the incident. He the Police and Rangers launched a joint operation against the terrorists.

Pakistan Army commandoes have been deployed to assist the law-enforcement agencies in conducting the operation against the terrorists.

KARACHI: At least three terrorists were killed as armed gunmen attacked the Karachi Police Office (KPO) on Friday, Bol News reported.

According to reports, the terrorists stormed the police head office at 7:10 PM located on the Main Shahrah-e-Faisal near the FTC flyover. The office of the Additional IGP Karachi is located near the Saddar police station and other installations.

A heavy contingent of Police, Rangers, and Pakistan Army commandoes conducted a clearance operation against the terrorists which continued for over four hours.

Heavy firing and explosions rocked the area while electricity was suspended as the terrorists were present on the rooftop.  Police officials said the terrorists entered from the backside of the police head office in a car after throwing a hand grenade at the gate and reaching the roof of the building.

DIG East Muqadas Haider announced the building has been cleared. He said the operation at the Karachi Police Office has been completed and all the terrorists in the building were killed. He said two terrorists were killed on the rooftop.

During the clearance operation, a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up on the fourth floor. A powerful explosion was heard shattering the windowpanes of nearby buildings and damaging the police head office.

Karachi police spokesperson said that all three terrorists who attacked the KPO had been killed in the operation.  A spokesperson for the Sindh Rangers added the operation had been completed and the process of clearing the area was under way.

KPO cleared

In a statement after the operation, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said three terrorists were eliminated by Police, Rangers and Army personnel.

Expressing deep sorrow over the martyrdom of four officials, he said 14 police and rangers personnel were injured in the attack

CM Sindh appreciated the bravery of all the law enforcement agencies involved in the operation and said they have shown great courage and bravery. He said Karachi Police Office has been cleared.

The chief minister said they never leave the families of martyrs alone. “I am pleased that the nation is united against terrorists,” he said.

He praised the professionalism of the law enforcement agencies for dealing with terrorists and clearing the Karachi Police Office.

Joint operation

Additional IGP Javed Alam Odho confirmed the attack on his office and said a heavy contingent of police and Rangers have been deployed in the area.

The Police Elite Response Force reached the spot after immense difficulty and attempted to enter in an amoured protective vehicle  (ACP). Rangers Quick Response Force (QRF) also reached the scene before a full-scale operation was launched.

The paramilitary along with the police started an operation against the terrorists. A statement by Rangers said the operation is being carried out on the presence of 8 to 10 armed terrorists.

DIG South Irfan Baloch told the media that at least six terrorists were present inside KPO building. He said that the terrorists entered the building from the backside. He said attempt are being made to neutralize the terrorists.

There are reports that a security guard has been killed in the attack while a large number of workers are present in the building. A rescue worker was injured in the firing and was shifted to Jinnah Hospital. He was Edhi volunteer identified as Sajid and received two bullets wounds.

Condemnations 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the police office in Karachi. Taking strict notice of the attack, the prime minister asked for a report on the incident. He appreciated the police and security forces for their effective action against the terrorists.

He instructed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to extend full cooperation of the federal government  in the clean-up operation against the terrorists. He underlined the need for collective action and the full force of the state to root out the menace of terrorism.

He said the terrorists had once again targeted Karachi but this kind of cowardly acts could not weaken the resolve of police and law enforcement agencies. He said the whole nation stood with police and security institutions.

President Dr Arif Alvi strongly condemned the terror attack and prayed for the early recovery of the injured. He said the whole nation stood with the security forces in the fight against terrorism. Efforts would continue till the complete elimination of the menace of terrorism, he added.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman (PPP) also condemned the attack. “Condemn the terrorist attack on Karachi police. Sindh police have bravely faced and crushed terrorism before,” he stated in a statement on Twitter.

The minister expressed concerns over such attacks and hoped the heinous acts won’t deter the country. “We have full faith they will do so again, such cowardly attacks will not deter us.

“Unacceptable” 

Earlier Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident, calling the attack on the police head office is “totally unacceptable”. He instructed the DIGs to send police personnel from their areas to the scene of the incident. The chief minister said he is personally monitoring the situation.

Speaking to Bol News, Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori strongly condemned the ‘cowardly’ attack and said the attack was an attempt to spoil the law and order situation.

He said the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is being held in Karachi and there were fool-proof security arrangements. He said the terrorists entered in the vehicle but will not manage to escape.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the chief secretary and police chief Sindh has briefed him on the attack. He said the terrorists came on a vehicle and threw a hand grenade before entering the building.

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