On this particular night, an Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel stood guard outside the entryway at Fokker gate. An employee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) also stood at the other side of the gate. They were the first to be killed by the five militants who tried to enter the airport premises through this gate.

As the terrorists made their way beyond the checkpoint that leads to the maintenance hangar, they shot and killed two more ASF personnel who were on guard duty.

At the same time, another team comprising five terrorists entered the cargo terminal through the offices of the Immediate Clearance Group of Pakistan Customs. This entry point lies a few metres away from the Fokker gate and is once again, not heavily guarded due to its infrequent use.

The assailants shot and killed the two ASF personnel and managed to cut across to the backside of the Gerry’s D’nata office. This is where they stood their ground as they engaged in combat with the ASF personnel.

Alerted to the incident by the incessant gunfire, the police were the first to respond and reached the site about 15 to 20 minutes after the initial attack. They were, however, limited to the outer perimeter of the airport as only the ASF have jurisdiction at airports in the country.

The police were soon followed by Rangers personnel who came in large numbers and coordinated with the ASF personnel to form a strategy to combat the attackers.

Soon after, Army personnel were called in from the nearby Malir Garrison. They joined the personnel of the former two forces in the combat.

In the meantime, all roads leading to the two terminals were barricaded. Media personnel were restricted to an outer perimeter on Star Gate Road, a good distance away from the entrance to the terminal. To these people, information and sounds of gunfire came in sporadic bursts. The media was largely kept in the dark, as if the black smoke rising from the scene beyond the barriers was fogging the information screen. While the senior officials wore brave smiles over their worried looks, the smoke was an ominous sign pointing towards the obvious: that the rising flames and the seven deafening explosions that took place within the first two hours of the attack were reason enough to worry.

Chaos ensued as conflicting reports on the number of assailants, casualties and damage circulated among those present at the site.

In the midst of the confusion, the Karachi Core Commander of the Armed Forces and the Rangers director-general assumed charge of the cleanup operation, directing the forces from the centre-point at the runway.

The elite Special Services Group commandos arrived last at the scene to launch the final offensive. The gunfire had pretty much subsided at this point. The commandos stormed through the entryway in their armoured vehicles, their masked faces reflective of their resolve to finish the escapade as soon as possible.

The airport was finally declared clear of the terrorist threat, five hours and 29 casualties later, at 4:30am.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2014.

But later, it was discovered that there was no ‘attack’ on the airport, maintained security officials.

“We did not see who opened fire but we gave them a strong answer,” Abbas, who was deputed for security outside the ASF Camp, told The Express Tribune. “There was no exchange of fire or attack.”

However, according to other witnesses, two masked men – one dressed in khaki shalwar kameez and another in a pant and shirt – came from a nearby slum, Pehlwan Goth, on a motorcycle and fired a few gunshots. Then, fled through the narrow streets towards Bhittaiabad.

As the law-enforcement and security forces were already on alert, they took the firing seriously and immediately cordoned off the nearest slum area where the assailants had reportedly gone into hiding. A helicopter was also used for air surveillance.

Rangers, police and ASF resorted to firing at every suspicious movement to avert any possible untoward incident. The routes leading to the airport were closed for traffic and flight operations suspended, but only for a while. “All the flights were suspended immediately to avoid any untoward incident, however, after getting clearance within 20 minutes, all flights were allowed to move to their destinations,” said Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson Abid Qaimkhani.

However, the paramilitary and security forces returned without arresting any of the culprits after two hours. “It was not an attack,” ASF spokesperson clarified. “The firing incident occurred a distance away from the ASF camp. I think, they (militants) won’t have the courage now to attack again as we have already been given them a good example of our strength by killing their all men [on Monday].”

However, the electronic media termed it another attack in the airport premises, claiming that there had been a breach. It was blamed for creating most of the panic. “The media should avoid using the word ‘attack’,” said ASF DG Azam Tiwana in a joint briefing with Karachi police chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo and Rangers sector commander Colonel Javed. “The airport is completely secured and law-enforcement agencies have the capability to respond.”

Inside job?

Meanwhile, investigators probing Monday’s brazen attack on the Karachi airport’s old terminal have included the possibilities of internal ASF involvement and airport staff. Agencies have started reviewing the record of staffers’ cell phones and keeping an eye on their movement, officials told The Express Tribune.

In the majority of the major attacks, including PNS Base Mehran, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, and PAF Base Minhas, Kamra, investigations showed internal involvement and arrests were made.

After the GHQ attack in October 2009, the army detained Brigadier Ali Khan, an officer who had been serving at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, for his alleged ties to an extremist organisation.

Similarly, in June 2011, defence officials informed a parliamentary committee that insiders were involved in PNS Base Mehran attack in Karachi. Three Pakistan navy officers were court-martialled and sentenced in the case, while three low-ranked PAF officials were formally arrested in connection with the August 16, 2012 attack on Minhas Airbase at Kamra.

Keeping this in mind, the ASF and other agencies have started tracking staffers’ cell phones and movement. “While the inquiry into the incident is in progress, intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch to sniff out the bad eggs,” confirmed an ASF senior intelligence official. “It is not necessary that the militants attacked the airport with internal support but we cannot rule it out just yet.”

On the other hand, police officials also believe that the militants carried out the attack with internal involvement. “They knew the airport very well. They knew about the overall security situation. They were even aware of the easiest ways to access the runway. But the question is how? All of these suggest that they had inside support,” said District Malir SSP Rao Anwar.

He said former ASF personnel and employees of the PIA, CAA and other departments concerned will also be vetted, adding that a case has been registered against militants at the Airport police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2014.

KARACHI / ISLAMABAD: The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) claimed responsibility for the brazen attack on the Karachi airport the same day the police nominated the leadership of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an FIR.

Uzbek militants, who are affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban and al Qaeda, have been hiding in North and South Waziristan for years. They had been suspected to be behind some previous attacks in Pakistan, however, they have claimed responsibility for a high-profile attack for the first time.

Even though the TTP had initially claimed credit, its spokesman Shahidullah Shahid now says it was a joint Taliban and IMU operation. Soon after the operation against the militants at the airport was over, the security forces had claimed the terrorists looked Uzbek.

“At midnight of Monday, ten brave martyrdom-seeking mujahideen of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan wearing their explosive-filled vests attacked a very special section of Karachi International Airport of Pakistan,” the English-language statement attributed to the IMU said.

The page included photographs of 10 black-turbaned fighters wearing green tunics and white trainers while carrying assault rifles, in what appeared to be a snowy mountainous region.

The Uzbek group describes the attacks as revenge for Pakistani airstrikes in North Waziristan on May 21 that targeted areas populated by Uzbek and other foreign militants.

Uzbek fighters had been expelled from South Waziristan by Taliban leader Mullah Nazir after locals had turned against them for their harsh behaviour with tribesmen. They moved to North Waziristan and mostly live in Mir Ali. The area had been the focus of the military airstrikes in recent weeks.

Tohir Abduhalilovich Yuldashev, who became an IMU leader after the killing of its founder Juma Namangani in Afghanistan in 2001, was believed to have been killed in South Waziristan in a US drone strike in 2009 after the death of Baitullah Mehsud also in an attack by a US spy aircraft.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the FIR was registered against TTP chief Maulana Fazalullah and spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid and other militants – but not under the Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO).

An FIR No. 87/14 under Sections 302/34, 427, 353, 435, 436/34, 109 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) was registered at the airport police station. Police officials say they were unable to place the PPO sections in this case as the government has yet to extend its period. “We nominated them [the TTP leadership] as they first claimed responsibility,” said IGP Sindh Iqbal Mehmood. The police have also recorded the statements before registering the case.

Another man found dead

Another man was found dead at the cargo terminal on Wednesday, but he is yet to be identified. However, CAA officials said the body could be of ASF sub-inspector Jumman Shah, who was earlier declared missing after the airport attack. The body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy and identification.

With this, the number of deaths from the cargo cold storage cave-in and the terrorist attack has reached 38, which includes 10 militants.

Some ‘accomplices’ arrested

At least five employees of two cellular service providers were detained in Nawabshah after agencies and the police gathered that the SIM cards found from the deceased militants were bought from two particular franchises.

The record from these franchises has also been seized, said officials. They also said investigators have detained a dozen more suspects during various raids.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2014.

KARACHI: The Sindh home ministry issued the notification for formation of a committee that will address complaints regarding the Karachi operation, Express News reported on Friday.

The provincial home secretary Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi will head the committee, which also includes law secretary, addition IG Sindh and a representative of Rangers.

After reviewing a particular complaint, the committee will present a report to Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah within 30 days of receiving the complaint.

MQM expressed its satisfaction over the development, “It is our long awaited demand to form a committee regarding the extra judicial killings and missing of our workers during the Karachi operation,” MQM spokesperson told The Express Tribune. “It will a good news if really it happened.”

Karachi police’s spokesperson told The Express Tribune that a notification in this regard has been issued. “Everything will be discussed in a meeting to be held soon,” he said.

“Later in the meeting, a strategy will be discussed to deal with the complaints or resolve the reservations.”

Further, the spokesperson said constables and DIG rank officials could be questioned if the committee has been formed.

“The committee will also review cases of the extrajudicial killings and missing MQM workers,” he added.

The targeted operation started in Karachi after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the metropolitan in September last year in a bid to devise a strategy to curb violence. With the provincial government on board, the prime minister had given a go-ahead to the paramilitary force to conduct raids and arrest criminals with the help of the police. Subsequently, the operation began on September 7, 2013.

In the past, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has claimed that the party was being targeted specifically and alienated in the Karachi operation.

KARACHI: Two brothers were injured in a cracker blast in Cheel Chowk, Lyari, in Karachi, Express News reported on Friday.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Murtaza Mirani, the brothers, five-year-old Shahjahan and seven-year old Rehan, were playing with the cracker bomb after finding it in a garbage dump.

The two children have been taken to Civic Hospital for medical assistance.

Earlier today in a firing incident, four people, including a woman and a child were injured in Chakiwara, Lyari.

Lethal toys

There have been several reports in recent months about children getting killed or injured as they played with ‘toys’ that turned out to be bombs.

On January 26, six children of the same family were killed when a hand grenade exploded while they were playing with it. According to Iftikhar Ahmad, the district police officer (DPO) of Hangu, the children were playing with the grenade assuming that it was a ball when it exploded, killing all of them on the spot.

In another incident on April 3, a 10-year-old boy was killed and four others were wounded when an explosive apparently hidden inside a toy they were playing with detonated in Khaki, Nowshera.

This means that out of the total budget which is supposed to look after courts, the police, civil defence, the home department – the police will end up using around Rs55.08 billion for salaries and other expenses. Around Rs3.6 billion will be used up by the high courts, provincial ombudsman, attorneys and others. The civil defence department will get about Rs784 million.

The estimated day-to-day expenditure is only 4.4% more than what it was last year when the total allocated budget was Rs54.4 billion.

While speaking at Friday’s Sindh Assembly session, the chief minister said that the budget for the law enforcement agencies will increase by at least 20% – from Rs44.86 billion to Rs55.08 billion by next year.

The break-up

For 130,741 people associated with the police department across the province, the Sindh government will spend around Rs44.6 billion on salaries. This means that only Rs9.4 billion will be left for the police force development projects. Out of this Rs330.7 million have been earmarked for new schemes involving the police and other security agencies working under the Sindh government.

This year, the government intends to spend Rs752 million on development projects for the police and Rs695 million on prisons. They also plan on spending Rs135 million on IT related programmes at the prisons – this includes improving the security system and CCTV equipment. The money will also be spent on improving the security systems at Karachi Central Jail, the juvenile and Malir jails – under schemes that were initiated years ago.

Some important projects which they plan to start in Karachi include constructing the Special Security Unit headquarters which will have barracks for around 1,000 men.

Federal grants

The federal government had promised Rs7 billion for the ongoing targeted operation but have not followed through as yet. The Sindh police still have to get vehicles, bullet-proof jackets and helmets for the Karachi operation to be effective and ensure that the police personnel are protected.

According to former DIF Finance Captain (Retd) Tahir Naveed who prepared the budget proposal, the Rs7 billion grant was not part of the budget.

While talking to The Express Tribune, he said that around 10,000 more personnel will be recruited by the police to strengthen the force. He said that like last year’s budget, around 87% had been earmarked for employee-related expenses. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2014.

KARACHI: The blatant attack at the Karachi Airport on June 8 has certainly put the law enforcers’ claims about the successes of the Karachi operation into perspective. Senior officials have repeatedly patted themselves on the backs for having ‘effectively reduced crime rate’ in the restive city. The brazen attack at the country’s largest airport has, however, cast serious doubt over these tall claims.

For their part, the law enforcement agencies claim they will now be focusing on tackling the issue of ‘terrorism’ to avoid further backlash of the military operation in Waziristan, The Express Tribune has learnt. “We had been anticipating a backlash since the start of the peace talks between the government and militants and are fully prepared for it,” Sindh IGP Iqbal Mehmood told The Express Tribune. “We are strictly monitoring all arrivals and activities in Karachi and taking action against militants on a regular basis.”

In reality, however, there have been no concrete steps taken to avert such attacks in the future yet. The city police chief, AIGP Ghulam Qadir Thebo, maintained that the police could not ensure fool-proof security to the city given the lack of resources. “Illegal weapons and immigrants continue to pour into the city,” he lamented. “We cannot guarantee we will be able to put an end to such incidents as the city is too big to be controlled by a police with such limited strength and resources.” He added, however, that the police were trying their best under the prevailing circumstances. “We have changed our strategy and countering terrorism is now our top priority.”

Look past the obvious rhetoric and the picture looks bleaker than is being painted. Law enforcement agencies claim to have apprehended over 25,000 suspects and killed around 300 alleged criminals in encounters in the last eight months of the operation. Interestingly, due to the lack of proper investigation or evidence against the detained suspects, only around 1,000 suspects are currently behind bars. The remaining suspects have been released.

“In the eight months of the operation, the police did not make concerted efforts to combat terrorism despite the frequent attacks in which around 100 personnel lost their lives,” a senior police official told The Express Tribune.

Recently, Pakistan’s top military and civilian leadership put their heads together to review the law and order situation in Karachi at a meeting at Governor House. This was the first time that the army chief attended such a high-level meeting with the civilian leadership on the issue of unrest in Karachi.

According to sources, the authorities are preparing for the arrival of militants in Karachi due to the operation in Waziristan. “In the last operation carried out in the tribal areas during the tenure of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the militants had escaped to Karachi and settled here,” a military official explained, on the condition of anonymity. “This time, they already have a strong presence in Karachi and are reorganising themselves as more militants arrive from Waziristan.”

The official feared that the militants will attempt to sabotage the Waziristan operation by carrying out attacks in Karachi. “During the period between the last operation and the current one, they have reorganised themselves in Karachi.”

Police and Rangers have been targeted on several occasions by the militants. Rangers have been more actively involved in taking action against the militants compared to the police. “We are already taking action against them (militants) and the recent attacks on our personnel were a testimony to that fact,” said the Rangers spokesperson. “We have killed a number of terrorists and will continue operations against them.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2014.

LAHORE: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has announced a day of mourning for Wednesday against violent clashes between the Punjab police and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) supporters in Lahore. 

However, later in the day, the Rabita Committee said that while it will observe a day of mourning, it urged businesses and transporters to continue their routine activities.

“Party leaders and workers will hoist black flags,” Nasir Jamal told Express Tribune.

“We took the decision to call back the closure of transport and business activities after people from the different walks of life, especially traders and transporters appealed us,” says MQM deputy convener Nasir Jamal while talking to The Express Tribune.

Traders and transporters welcomed the decision of the MQM, “We are thankful of the MQM for giving us time and listened our woes,” said Karachi Transport Ittehad chairman Irshad Bukhari.

Meanwhile, All Karachi Tajir Ittehad chairman Atiq Mir said “Karachi has already been faced massive economic losses and it is a good decision by MQM to call back the closure of business activities in Karachi.”

Earlier on Tuesday, at least eight people were killed, while 97 others were injured, including 28 police personnel, in the clashes which erupted outside Dr Tahirul Qadri’s house in Model Town Colony, Lahore.

MQM leader Farooq Sattar, while speaking to the media in Lahore on Tuesday, stated the actions of the police were “undemocratic and barbaric.”

Condemning the clash, Sattar also said that this incident was not a good message from the Punjab government.

MQM Deputy Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi expressing sentiments similar to that of Sattar, stated that the protest of the PAT workers was peaceful.

Siddiqi added that the MQM, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) had boycotted the Punjab Assembly in protest against the clash.

PTI’s stance

PTI’s Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry, while speaking to Express News, demanded an apology from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Chaudhry also said that the Punjab government was responsible for this incident, adding that there was no justification for such an incident to take place.

PML-Q’s stance

Following the incident, PML-Q Punjab president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi spoke adversely against the Punjab government at a press conference in Lahore.

He remarked that the days of the provincial government were numbered.

Condemning the incident, he said that the PAT workers were shot at ruthlessly.

Express News screengrab of PML-Q Punjab president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi addressing a press conference in Lahore.

“The rulers are playing with the lives of innocent people,” he further commented.

Elahi stated that “there was no need for a judicial commission, everyone knows who ordered the police to open fire.”

He also said that many of the injured are in critical condition, further stating the death toll may rise.

AML’s stance

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad told Express News the clash in Lahore was an “act of oppression, terrorism and barbarism.”

Mocking the Punjab government, the AML chief stated sarcastically that “this was the real face of democracy.”

“I only noticed that they [border security forces] were allowing the IDPs in by looking at their national identity cards,” he said. “But they did not ask us where we are going or where we will stay.” Wajid reached the city by road a few days ago and has been staying, along with his family, at his relative’s house in one of Pashtun-dominated neighbourhoods of district West.

The military action launched in North Waziristan has resulted in the displacement of a large number of people from the tribal area. According to unofficial records, around 90,000 IDPs have moved to various parts of the country, including Karachi, in the past two months. Most of them started moving even before the operation was formally announced.

According to the newcomers, only those ‘who look like Taliban’ are strictly questioned. “All the way from Waziristan via Bannu, DI Khan, DG Khan and rural Sindh to Karachi, the officials at the check posts were only checking those people whose getup was like that of militants or the ones without families,” said another IDP Abdullah Mehsud. “Their baggage was also being checked.”

Monitoring ‘sensitive’ areas

The Express Tribune learnt that the intelligence agencies, the police and Rangers have started close monitoring of the areas declared ‘highly sensitive’ in the city. Most of these areas fall in districts West and East.

“The main issue is that the people living in these neighbourhoods are not ready to cooperate with the law enforcers,” said district West police chief DIG Captain (retd) Tahir Naveed. He was talking about the lack of cooperation by the residents to gain information on the presence of militants.  “It is too hard for us to recognize who is innocent or who is a terrorist as all of them belong to the same ethnicity.”

“In these areas, you will find the operatives of different Taliban groups including Waliur Rehman, Hakeemullah and Fazalullah,” explained a senior Crime Investigation Department officer. “In the past, the clashes between the operatives of these militants groups over turf and fundraising also erupted but now they have joined hands to give a stronger resistance.”

Naveed told The Express Tribune that the militants have also done their homework to respond to the military operation by carrying out terrorist activities in the cities. “If the situation goes out of control, the army will be there to help us out,” he assured, adding that the police are also on alert and are using modern equipment to avert any kind of terrorist activity.

Biometric checks?

According to Rangers officials, they are checking the people arriving from Waziristan and other parts of the country manually as the government has yet to provide biometric systems and scanners to check the supply of explosives and arms. “You should ask the government why they did not provide these to us despite the operation being launched,” complained a senior Rangers official.

Despite the influx of IDPs, the Sindh government has yet to take measures to record the names of those entering the province and verifying their credentials. “It is the responsibility of the federal government to provide biometric systems to us,” Sindh chief minister’s adviser Waqar Mehdi conveniently shifting the blame. “We do not have the budget to settle the IDPs. The federal government should settle them in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the Punjab.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members were killed in a joint operation by police and Rangers personnel in Karachi’s Manghopir Sultanabad area, Express News reported on Friday.

It was reported that one of the deceased was a local TTP commander. A Rangers spokesperson confirmed the death of the two militants.

The operation was conducted after the security forces were tipped off about the presence of the militants.

When the security forces reached the area, the militants opened fire and threw hand grenades at them, injuring three Rangers personnel, identified as Naseer and Akbar. The injured were immediately shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.

A high contingent of security forces was called in after the initial encounter. An exchange of fire took place again, which lead to the death of the two militants.

After the operation, additional IGP Karachi announced cash reward as well as commendation certificates for the police personnel involved in the operation.

KARACHI: A dentist was killed when two armed men riding a motorcycle shot him outside his clinic at Liaquat Chowk on Friday evening, within the limits of Rizvia police station.

Dr Faisal Ghulam Mustafa, 34, was shot outside his clinic by two armed men riding a motorcycle.

Dr Mustafa was taken to Abbasi Shaheed hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The motive behind the attack has yet to be ascertained.

KARACHI: Two Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members were killed in separate encounters in Karachi on Friday, while three abducted men were recovered in separate operation.

Notorious terrorist Nisar Swati was killed during a joint search operation by police and Rangers near the Mewa Shah graveyard.

“In an encounter with terrorists, notorious terrorist Nisar Swati belonging to the TTP has been killed. He was involved in recent attacks on police personnel in District West,” SSP West Irfan Baloch said.

Separately, three militants killed in a joint operation by the Rangers, Anti-Violent Crime Cell and District West police to recover three abducted men in Manghopir area have been identified. They were identified as Alauddin, Noor Hassan and Shar Zada. The dead were associated with the TTP and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The abducted men were safely recovered and shifted to their homes.

Around 50 suspects including members of militant outfits were also apprehended in the operation.

DG Rangers and Additional IG Karachi appreciated Rangers and police for conducting a successful operation and announced cash prizes for them.

In a separate attack, an alleged attacker was killed when he tried to attack a police mobile.

The attacker, who was reportedly associated with TTP, tried to attack a police mobile in SITE area. The police retaliated to the attack in which the militant was killed.

Weapons were recovered from the attacker.

“We selected the players after conducting trials for three days,” ASI Aftab Ahmed, who is managing the police football team, told The Express Tribune. “All the players were selected on merit and the police will provide them accessories and resources for training.”

The footballers were selected from among the over 140 football clubs of district South. “Such measures are needed to not only overcome unemployment in Lyari but also to rehabilitate and groom the area’s youth,” the district South football federation’s president, Gulab Baloch, told The Express Tribune. “These activities will be helpful in preventing the youngsters from falling into the lure of the gangs.”

A total of 12 footballers were selected during the trials. One of them left for abroad a couple of days before the police handed out the appointment letters. The selected footballers are aged between 18 and 28 years. “Around 150 footballers were selected for the trials but only the 12 of us were selected to represent the police team as we fulfilled all the criteria for selection,” one of the selected footballers, 26-year-old Junaid Anwar Ali, told The Express Tribune. “We have always seen the police take action against the people of Lyari. This is the first time they did something for us.”

One step forward, two steps back

While the induction of the footballers from Lyari into the police football team was seen by many as a positive step, others wondered if it would be enough to uplift the reputation of the police in the restive area. Even as the department took one step into the right direction, Lyari police arrested a young international football player and booked him in cases of police encounter, possession of illegal weapons and a stolen motorcycle.

Shahzeb Baloch, the international footballer, was arrested by district South police from Chakiwara, Lyari. He had taken a lift from someone on the road who had unfortunately been riding a stolen motorcycle. The police arrested both of them and, according to the family, charged them in false cases of police encounter and possession of illegal weapons against them and sent them to prison.

Besides taking part in local and national-level tournaments, Shahzeb Baloch has also represented Pakistan a couple of times in Japan and Iran in South Asian football tournaments.

“On the one side, the police are trying to give a message that they are doing good by recruiting Lyari’s youth in their football team but on the other hand, the same police are continuing their old practices; forcing the youth to take the law into their own hands,” said Imran Baloch, a relative of Shahzeb. He reasoned that such actions by the police will inadvertently arouse feelings of anger and hatred towards the police among the residents.

“The police should have at least conducted a simple inquiry before leveling these charges against him. At least his career could have been saved,” said another family member. Shahzeb’s family, on receiving information of his arrest, had approached the police station and showed them the medals and certificates he had won to clarify that that he was a football player and not a street criminal. The police , however, remained unmoved and even seized his medals and certificates, added the family.

When The Express Tribune tried to contact the senior officials of the area, they refused to comment on the issue. “What do you mean they put the cases on him?” Lyari SP Shahnawaz Khan rebuffed when questioned regarding the nature of the cases registered against Shahzeb. “Go ask the SHO who has registered the cases,” he said, before cutting the call.

Chakiwara SHO Naseer Magsi admitted that the police had found no criminal record for the arrested footballer. “In Lyari, most youngsters of Shahzeb’s age are involved in criminal activities,” he tried to reason. “It is the responsibility of the investigation wing to prove the charges leveled against him,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2014. 

KARACHI: Three policemen were killed and one other was injured in a firing incident in Manghopir, Mianwali Colony in Karachi, within the limits of the Pirabad police station on Tuesday. 

A passerby was also injured in the attack.

The police personnel on their motorcycles were patrolling in the area – notorious for the presence of the Taliban – when armed militants targeted them.

Police officials said that after attacking and killing the cops, the militants fled with the police officials’ sub-machine guns.

A couple of days back, Rangers and police had killed five militants during a grand operation in Manghopir’s Sultanabad area, and had recovered four abducted industrialists and traders.

Police officials said that the shooting today was apparently the reaction of the killings of the militants.

An extra contingent of law enforcers reached the area and cordoned off the entire locality. Rangers were also called into the area to conduct a search operation.

The bodies and injured were immediately moved to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo said that the militants carried out today’s attacks on the police to avenge their comrades’ killings by law enforcers.

“Our actions against militants will continue until the elimination of terrorists and terrorism in a city,” he said. He also announced Rs2 million for each deceased cop’s family.

The deceased policemen were identified as Soomar, 38, Ghulam Ali, 40, and Munawar, 43.

The injured policeman was identified as Ali Nawaz, 40 and the injured passerby was identified as Shahid Omar Din, 35.

Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan took notice of the killings of the policemen,  and asked Sindh IGP Iqbal Mehmood to submit a report regarding the killings within 24 hours.

KARACHI: A woman and two men were wounded when three rockets were fired in different parts of Karachi on Wednesday evening.

Unidentified militants had fired three rockets targeting sensitive installations including Karachi Port and Pakistan Naval Complex.

Police officials said that the first rocket fired by unidentified culprits hit the wall of a Naval complex located in Agra Taj locality of Lyari. The second rocket fell on the roof of a house in Machar Colony. The third rocket hit the container terminal of Karachi Port, destroying one container.

Extra contingent of police and Rangers rushed to sites and were busy gathering evidence.

The injured woman was shifted to Civil Hospital for medical treatment.

City Town SP Sheraz Nazeer said that the specifics of the rockets have yet to be ascertained, adding that investigators were trying to trace where the rockets had been fired from.

Some officials though suspected the rockets were fired from the nearby Sultanabad area. Officials said all three attacks were coordinated and carried out by militants to avenge the targeted operation by law enforcement agencies in Karachi and North Waziristan.

KARACHI: Two traffic police personnel were shot dead in Orangi Town in what is believed to be target killing in reaction to law enforcement agencies’ operation against militants in Karachi.

The traffic police personnel were on duty at Orangi Town No 5 when two armed men on a motorcycle opened fire at them. The assailants managed to flee after the incident.

“They were busy in their routine duty when the incident took place,” said Orangi division SP Sajid Sadozai.

The victims were shot multiple times. They were immediately taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where both succumbed to their injuries.

Both the victims were posted at the Orangi Town Traffic Police Section.

Police officials said that they cannot rule out the possibility of the involvement of militants behind the attack.

“Apparently, the militants are busy taking revenge of killings and arrests by law enforcers,” says Sadozai. “Traffic police is the soft target.”

The new inmates have to show how heavy their pockets are; the more he or she has, the more benefits they receive. For example, they can buy a place in the best ward. But if one can’t provide enough cash or capital, the prisoner will be beaten, abused and have a gruelling imprisonment. Their families won’t be allowed to see them and court presentations will also depend on how much money is paid.

No matter how the adage goes, money can and does buy happiness in prison.

Those under-trial prisoners (UTPs), who have no money to feed the police, suffer in jail longer than those who shell out the cash – the police refuse to take the former to courts.

In Pakistan, nearly 50,000 people face pre-trial detention, forming Pakistan 66% of the total prison population. The province of Sindh has 25 jails, including four in Karachi and official figures put the number of prisoners in these 25 jails at 18,500 prisoners of which 14,500 are UTPs.

Nearly 75% of UTPs have their cases pending in various courts. Therefore, a majority of those in jails are prisoners who have not been convicted. And many claim that the police is responsible for the soaring number of UTPs.

Thirty-year-old Imtiaz* and his eight other companions were arrested in separate charges some six months ago during the ongoing operation in Karachi. “The jail police, like a swarm of bees, surrounded us and emptied us out. They did what they could to force us to pay them Rs10,000 each, but we could only pay Rs5,000,” he describes the night he says was no less than ‘judgement day’. The police offered everything from relief from torture to timely appearances in court during their trials only if they were paid.

Imtiaz served as a bus driver in Keamari. After he was arrested from Moosa Lane in the restive area of Lyari, Imtiaz’s wife, Sakina, sold her gold earrings and bangles, which she had received as her dowry, to bribe the police investigating team and jail police to ensure their safety. “I had no other option as my children were asking where there father was and I had no answer to their questions,” says Sakina. She went to her brothers and asked them to sell her ornaments and bribe the police for a speedy trial. “Imtiaz’s presence in home was indispensible as a woman alone with minor children can’t survive in a place like ours (Lyari).”

On the other hand, IGP Prisons Nusrat Mangan refuted these accounts.  “We have to present the UTPs before the court as it issues notices for their appearance every 15 days and this has been a continued practice since 2007,” Mangan tells The Express Tribune. “The delay is not from our end but it is a matter pertaining to the courts and the investigation police.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2014.

KARACHI: A powerful explosion took place outside a mosque in Karachi’s Saddar Bazaar on Friday afternoon, killing two persons and injuring two others.

Moments after the blast, mangoes and motorcycle parts were seen scattered with human flesh and blood on the New Preedy Street, while passers-by stood shocked and confused. Rescue teams rushed the injured to hospital, while the bomb disposal squad gathered evidence from the site.

The blast took place outside the Jama Masjid Muhajir Makki situated on the city’s busiest street. “The blast occurred in the middle of the road. This area or even the mosque was not the target of the attacker who was going somewhere else with the explosives,” Karachi police chief Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo told the media during a visit to the blast site.

According to witnesses, two bikers collided with each other on the road outside the mosque.

Police investigators and the bomb disposal squad believe the bomb was planted on a motorcycle, which exploded after the ‘unplanned’ collision, killing its rider.

Besides this, the man riding the other motorcycle was also killed in the explosion. The alleged attacker was later identified as Abdul Fateh who belonged to Nawabshah and lived in Karachi’s Paposh Nagar area.

The police also raided his house and detained his wife, brother and minor son.

Police investigators said the second motorcycle damaged in the explosion was registered in the name of a person identified as Muhammad Amir Sultan.

District East police chief DIG Munir Shaikh told The Express Tribune that the police was trying to ascertain whether the second man killed in the explosion was an accomplice or not.

Bomb Disposal Squad’s experts, while ruling out the possibility of a suicide bombing, said that it was a motorcycle-borne improvised explosive device (MBIED). “The explosive material weighed around four kilogrammes.

It also included steel nails, which penetrated into the alleged terrorist’s body,” a senior bomb disposal expert told The Express Tribune.

Two motorcycles and windowpanes of nearby shops were badly damaged.

A couple of days ago, intelligence agencies had warned about the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Karachi, stating that TTP’s Omar Bin Zaib faction has established two groups – lead by Sher Bahadur and Haji – to carry out terrorist activities in Karachi.

In response to a question, Karachi CCPO Thebo said there are possibilities of a backlash of the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan.

“They (militants) can target the police, other law-enforcement agencies, the military, vital installations, VVIPs or anyone,” he said. “But we are ready and we are taking timely action to avoid such terrorist acts.

Many of the militants have so far been killed and arrested.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Two police officers and four suspected militants were killed in separate incidents on Saturday evening.

ASI Rehmanuddin, 35, was shot dead by armed men riding motorcycles in Pathan Colony, SITE, as he was returning home after purchasing some milk.

Police officials said that Rehmanuddin was posted at the Central Police Office (CPO).

Three passers-bys including five year old Sawera, 12 year old Emaan and 24 year old Iqbal were injured in the attack on Rehmanuddin.

Meanwhile, another police officer was shot dead by armed men in Sultanabad area of Manghopir on Saturday.

Hameed Sumar, 38, an officer with the Balochistan Police was visiting relatives in Karachi. As he was returning to his duties in Balochistan, armed men targeted him in Sultanabad.

Suspected militants killed

As many as four suspected militants were killed in two separate raids by the Rangers in the city.

The Rangers dispatched units to a suspected Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan hideout in Metroville on Saturday. As the Rangers convoy neared Zia Morr, the suspects fired on them from an isolated building.

A Rangers public relations officer said that a brief gun battle ensued. In the exchange of fire, two suspects were killed, but one suspect managed to escape. On searching the area, officials recovered magnetic improvised explosive devices and hand grenades.

A second unit of Rangers searching for suspects involved in targeted attacks on police in Banaras area of Karachi, raided a hideout in Pirabad, on Saturday.
During the raid, the suspects fired upon the Rangers. In the ensuing exchange of fire, two suspects, Khalid Jan and Zeeshan, were killed. They are believed to have been involved in attacks on police officials.

Police officials said they recovered two 9mm handguns with seven bullets, two crackers and one bike.

KARACHI: Sindh Police chief Iqbal Mehmood has been relieved of his duties as Inspector General (IG) Police Sindh after a three month stint on Monday.

The Express tribue has learnt that IG Sindh has been relieved from his duties. In his stead, Ghulam Haider Jamali, a grade 21 officer, has been appointed as acting IG of the province.

Jamali was serving as the Anti-Corruption chairman. He has also served as additional IG Sindh in the past.

Mehmood had assumed the charge of new IGP Sindh formally in the first week of April 2014 following the retirement of Shahid Nadeem Baloch.

Federal government has issued the notification of Mehmood’s removal and appointment of the Jamali as acting IG Sindh, however, Sindh chief secretary directed Mehmood to report to the Establishment Division Islamabad.