To restore this badly tarnished image, District South police have decided to establish at least 10 model police stations in their jurisdiction. Under the scheme, the District South DIG will supervise the Defence police station, District South SSP will supervise the Gizri model police station, Clifton division SP will oversee the Clifton model police station, Police Headquarters Garden SP will manage the Garden model police station, Lyari division SP will run the Baghdadi model police station, Keamari division SP will be supervised by the Jackson model police station while Preedy, Gizri and Risala police stations will be supervised by Investigations SSPs.

Previous attempts

This is not the first time that the government or the police department has taken such an initiative. The previous attempts, however, proved futile in the face of non-serious attitudes. Former provincial home minister Zulfiqar Mirza, during his tenure, had set up three model police stations. Ferozabad, Liaquatabad and Women police station had been selected for the purpose.

Later in 2012, the government had decided to open 50 model police stations to curb the ‘thana culture’ across the province. Twenty of them were in Karachi. The proposed model police stations included seven model women police stations, three in Karachi and one each in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Mirpurkhas. They were, however, not provided the required infrastructure and logistic support and thus the idea largely collapsed.

Self-help

This time, however, the initiative looks slightly more promising. For one, the scheme does not involve the government or the bureaucracy. The idea was conceptualised and presented by the District South DIG Abdul Khalique Shaikh in a meeting with senior officials of the zone. All the officers enthusiastically endorsed the idea of community policing.

“We are going to establish ten model police stations from among the existing police stations in District South,” explained DIG Shaikh. “Moreover, we will also upgrade three Madadgar (15) centres by providing manpower, camera-fitted mobiles and motorcycles for quick response to calls received on the helpline.”

DIG Shaikh added that in these model police stations, the senior officers will be responsible for the improvement of investigation units, which will be allotted camera fitted mobiles, new motorcycles as well as additional officers and personnel.

He said that the senior officials holding the ranks of Station Investigations Officers (SIOs) and Investigation Officers (IOs) will also be given weekly lectures on forensic and DNA testing by experts.

Interestingly, the police officers will not ask the government for the additional expenses. The senior officers, who have been made responsible for the model police stations, will bear all the expenses. “We will ask the department for additional funds when we have something to show in terms of our performance,” said DIG Shaikh. “We (senior officers) will bear all the expenses with our own funds as we are responsible for the overall situation within his model police station,” Old City SSP Sheeraz Nazeer told The Express Tribune. “The building’s infrastructure such as the waiting room and reception will be on our first priority to provide a friendly environment to the citizens.”

The SHOs of these selected model police stations also welcomed the decision. “No doubt, there are black sheep in our department but isn’t this the case everywhere?” questioned SHO Imdad Ali Khawaja. “Why must people always point fingers at the police?” he asked. He hoped that the decision will vastly improve the image of the police in the eyes of the public.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2014.

The RSTF, set up to deal with incidents of extortion and kidnapping, came under fire soon after its formation for allegedly illegally occupying an office premises that housed the employees and volunteers of the SRS.

The office premises in question, is a 200-square-foot block that houses five rooms. It was commissioned and built in 2006 and is located adjacent to the police check post on main Sea View Road. The very next year, the society invited the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and the police to share the office space with them.

Later in the year, however, the police and CPLC were asked to evacuate the premises due to internal rifts. The society also took back most of the equipment such as motorcycles that it had given to the police personnel to patrol the area.

Since then, the residents’ society had been running the office on their own, looking after the security and upkeep of the apartment blocks. This continued until July this year, when personnel of the Rangers Task Force appeared in the office one day and have encamped there since.

The residents’ society took the matter to the Karachi Corps Commander, asking for his help to get the office evacuated. They explained to the army official how they had gone door-to-door to collect funds to build the wall that provided a layer of security to over 4,000 residents.

“This office was part of the setup, providing security to the residents living there,” Aziz Suharwardy, the SRS convener told The Express Tribune. The Corps Commander has assured them that the Rangers will relocate themselves to some other place and their office will be vacated soon.

Sea View Residents Society

The SRS came into prominence after its members lobbied for a wall to be built from B-Street to Khayaban-e-Bahria, encircling the around 900 apartments in the Sea View Township. The decision to construct the wall was taken in meeting between the then DHA administrator, Brigadier Asif Ghazali, and members of the SRS. The aim was to add a layer of security for the residents of the Sea View Township.

The wall was duly built and from then on, the society has taken upon itself the responsibility of providing security to the residents. In return, the residents pay a fixed monthly charge – funds that are spent on salaries of guards and other expenses.

Rangers Special Task Force

The special force was established in the wake of the surge in incidents of kidnappings for ransom and extortion in last Ramazan. It has a director, two deputy directors, 15 assistant directors and 10 other employees. Former officials and employees of the CPLC, who had quit the committee over internal disputes, had joined hands with the Sindh Rangers to set up the task force. The CPLC’s former employees are helping with the technical side of the force’s operations while the Rangers are looking after the operational side.

“We have no objection to vacating the premises and do not want to be part of any conspiracy,” RSTF director Najeeb Dana Wala told The Express Tribune. “We did not forcefully occupy the office and were using it temporarily,” he said, adding that they had received instructions from the Corps Commander to vacate the premises. “We are just waiting for the Rangers DG to allot the new premises for our relocation.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2014. 

KARACHI: Three faculty members who used to work with Prof Dr Muhammad Shakil Auj, the dean of KU’s Islamic Studies faculty, are being investigated by the police to see if they had any connection with the professor’s murder. So far, they have not found any evidence which suggests the men were involved.

The police have not had any luck figuring out what happened or who was behind the killing as they have not been able to get hold of any visuals.

They claim that there were no cameras installed on the route from Prof Auj’s house to Khana-e-Farhang Iran, and added, that in areas where a CCTV was installed, there was no footage to be found.

Dr Auj was on his way to attend an event at the Iranian Cultural Centre on Thursday morning when unidentified men opened fire at him in Gulshan-e-Iqbal at 10:45am. He was shot in the head with a 9mm bullet and died on the spot.

Investigations

There are three ways the police are looking into the case, including the ongoing sectarian target killings in the city, as well as the blasphemy accusations that surfaced against Dr Auj around two years ago. Dr Auj had been accused of blasphemy and on November 6, 2012, he had registered an FIR 460/12 in the Mobina Town police station, stating that there was a message being circulated – declaring him guilty of blasphemy, and thus liable to be killed.

Three faculty members – Dr Abdul Rasheed, Dr Obaid Ahmed Khan, Dr Naseer Ahmed Akhtar and a NED university employee, Samiuz Zaman, were later accused of being involved in circulating the text message and threatening him.

Following the registration of the FIR in 2012, Dr Rasheed and Zaman were formally arrested by the police but were later released on bail while the other two – Dr Obaid Ahmed Khan and Dr Naseer Ahmed Akhtar were on bail before arrest.

“There has been no breakthrough in Auj’s case but we are trying our best,” said DSP Nasir Lodhi while talking to The Express Tribune. The police are also trying to figure out if it was an inside job.

“Thank God, I was at home,” said Dr Naseer Akhtar while talking to The Express Tribune. “It was proved in the  2012 investigations that I wasn’t involved in anything. The investigating officer also said so.”

Another teacher from the same faculty, Dr Maulana Masood Baig, was also shot and killed in a similar manner in North Nazimabad last week. The investigators are also looking into the case and are trying to see if there are any links between the two. There are no CCTV footages or eye-witness accounts in both cases.

The only way the police can find a link between the two is a ballistics match – see if the bullets were fired from the same weapon.

The police said that they have asked the forensics division to cross check.

“We do not have any footage in both the cases,” said a senior police official who did not wish to be named. “There are no eye-witnesses to help the police with a sketch of the assailants either. The one thing we are doing is sending the bullet casings for a cross-check.”

Meanwhile, an FIR 478/14 was registered at the Aziz Bhatti police station and includes sections related to murder, attempted murder and terrorism against unidentified persons on behalf of the victim’s family.

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

KARACHI: Rangers on Wednesday evening raided a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) office on Abul Hassan Ispahani road and detained dozens of workers.

As many as 500 MQM workers were attending a general workers’ convention at the MQM office in Scheme 33, on Abul Hassan Ispahani road, which also doubles as an MPA’s office.

Workers were discussing reorganisation of the party when a large contingent of Rangers raided the office and started rounding up activists.

MQM MPA Faisal Sabzwari said that as many as 30 MQM workers were detained by Rangers and demanded that these activists should be released immediately. There were reports that some female activists were also injured in the Rangers’ raid.

Rangers also reportedly seized records from the MQM office.

Following the raid, panic set in the area as hundreds of people including women staged a sit-in at Abul Hassan Isphani Road against the raid and demanded the immediate release of activists.

Police, however, resorted to aerial firing to disperse protesters.

Rangers officials were not immediately available for comments despite repeated contacts.

Sabzwari demands immediate release of workers

Speaking outside the raided MQM office, Sabzwari said that he and MNA Muzammi Qureshi were MQM representatives from this constituency, and both used the office to communicate with the people.

“Around 9pm, when I was coming to attend the meeting, we were informed that Rangers has cordoned off the area. When we got closer, we realised that it was a raid and there were reports of firing,” said Sabzwari.

He added that when he reached the spot, Rangers had cordoned off the area and were not allowing anyone to enter the street where MQM office was located, not even him.

“When I tried to enter the street, two Rangers personnel stopped me. I introduced myself and asked them that I want to talk to the officer in charge upon which they asked me to wait.” After a minute or so, one of them came and asked me to come alone with him but after sometime he informed me that “Major does not wish to talk to you right now,” and asked me to leave.

Around 30 of workers have been taken into custody by the Rangers, said MQM leader. “Our workers were stripped, blindfolded and then led away.”

There were also reports of Rangers personnel mistreating local residents including women who had came out of their houses to protest.

“We have always supported actions against miscreants, whether it was Operation Zarb-e-Azb or Karachi Operation,” he said, adding that they were “showing restraint.”

The MQM MPA further said that such incidences would serve to intensify the situation, as some MQM workers from the same vicinity had previously been killed extra-judicially and others were missing.

“We request the federal and provincial government to take notice of this incidence immediately,” said Sabzwari.

“If I have done something wrong then arrest me,” he added.

MQM condemns raid

The MQM Rabita Committee also issued a strongly worded condemnation of the raid.

The Committee expressed its concerns over dictatorial use of authorities and termed it a malice design to alienate MQM. It added that a meeting regarding reconstruction of party structure and the preparations of upcoming Eid-ul-Azha were in progress when the raid took place.

The Committee condemned the arbitrary detentions of party workers despite operation against terrorists and targeted-killers. It termed the entire episode an illegal and conspicuous attempt to create dichotomy between MQM and the people.

Qaim Ali Shah contacts MQM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah called MQM leaders in London and spoke to them about the raid on MQM office.

He sought details from MQM leaders about their workers and urged them to remain peaceful.

Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain has also called for the early release of MQM activists.

On the other hand City police chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo said that he is in touch with MQM leadership and has reassured the party leadership of his full cooperation.

KARACHI: Rangers on Wednesday night conducted a raid at an office of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and rounded up dozens of workers affiliated with the party.

Eyewitnesses said a heavy contingent of rangers reached and cordoned off the office when a general workers’ meeting – in which more than 500 workers and local leaders were present – was underway.

Rangers took dozens of workers into custody and shifted them to undisclosed location. They also seized record from the party’s office, they added.

After the raid, the MQM leadership rushed to the spot but they were not allowed to go inside the office. Following the incident, panic spread in the area. Shops in the locality were also closed down while police blocked the routes leading to the area for vehicular traffic.

Later hundreds of people, including women, staged a sit-in protest at Abul Hassan Isphani Road against the raid and demanded immediate release of the workers. Police also resorted to aerial firing to disperse the protesters. Meanwhile Rangers officials were not available for comments when contacted.

Meanwhile, the MQM’s Rabita Committee strongly condemned the ‘arbitrary arrests of dozens of MQM workers and raid at MPA office at Gulshan-e-Maymar locality of Karachi by Sindh Rangers’.

According to a statement issued by the party, the members of Rabita Committee, MNA Muzammil Quraishi, Minister for Youth Affairs Faisal Sabzwari, office-bearers and more than 500 male and female workers were present at the time of raid.

It said the committee also expressed its ultimate condemnations for fatal torturing of MQM workers and supporters. “Preventing the MQM to serve people is a shameful prejudice of feudal mentality,” it added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Two people were killed and seven others, including two women and two police personnel, were injured when a bomb targeting senior anti-terror police officer SSP Farooq Awan went off in Defence area of Karachi on Thursday evening.

The bomb attack targeted senior anti-terror police officer SSP Farooq Awan’s white bomb-proof Prado on Khayaban-e-Momin near the Gizri graveyard roundabout in phase IV.

The blast was so powerful that it blew out the windows of nearby houses and caused the doors and windows of buildings in a half-kilometer radius to shake. It was heard far off areas of the city including Clifton and PECHS.

Police mobile, one motorcycle and his car were destroyed in the attack.

Following the attack, the dead and injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital. Awan, however, was initially shifted to a private hospital in Clifton where it is reported he walked in and out on his own. He was later shifted to the Agha Khan Hospital.

Additional IG Police Ghulam Qadir Thebo told The Express Tribune that Awan sustained minor injuries. However, he added, an unidentified man is in critical condition at Jinnah Hospital.

Talking to media IG Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali said CCTV footage shows that around 9pm some one parked a car near the site of the blast and walked away.

The blast took place at 9:04pm, and it seemed to be a remote controlled blast not a suicide one, said Jamali.

Jinnah Hospital MS Seemin Jamali confirmed that two people were killed, while six people were injured. The injured included two women and two police officials.

Two person killed in the incident are Abdul Ghafoor and Kaleemullah. Ghafoor, who owns a showroom, was brought dead to the hospital while Kaleemullah works in a burger shaop.

Women injured the incident have been identified as Mehwish, 20, resident of Qayyumabad and Musarrat, 21, resident of Lines Area, while two police personnel injured in the incident are SIU Constable Rehan Shah, 38  and SIU Constable Sartaj, 40. Others injured in the incident are Irshad, 29 of Line Area and Muhammad Ayub.

According to Jamali, all of the injured had received pellet wounds.

The attack follows similar high profile attacks on Counter Terrorism incharge SP Raja Umer Khitab and on slain CID officers SP Chaudhry Aslam and Shafiq Tanoli.

Profile of SSP Farooq Awan

SSP Farooq Awan is a highly decorated police officer who had served a good part of his 31-year career in anti-terrorism. Highlights in his career include investigating cases such as the Daniel Pearl murder case, and the attack on Iranian Engineers.

He has served as DSP Anti-terror wing of the Crime Investigation Department, as an SSP with the Anti-Violent Crime Cell, Investigation East, Crime Branch and Special Investigation Unit of the Crime Investigation Agency.

Awan, who started his police career as an ASI in 1982, made a name for himself in combatting crime between 1998 and 2007 when he persecuted those involved in kidnapping, and terror related activities. The highlights were investigation of the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl and attack on Iranian Engineers. He also apprehended a wanted sectarian terrorist during this time.
In recognition of Awan’s performance, the government of Sindh, intended to grant him accelerated promotion.

He was thus rewarded later when the Sindh Cabinet promoted him and a few other officers under a Section 9A of the Civil Service Act 1973. His promotion among a host of other officers came under review when the court took up a case of out of turn promotions. As per court orders, Awan and other officers were demoted to Grade 19.

After the court’s orders on July 10, 2013, he was promoted again.

Condemnations

President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Chairman Senate, Leader of the House and Opposition in Senate have condemned the attack on SSP Awan.

PTI chief Imran Khan has also condemned the attack and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

Condemn the bomb blast in Khi targeting SSP Farooq Awan. My condolences 2 families of the deceased & prayers 4 full recovery of the injured.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 25, 2014

The blast, which was heard miles away, took place in Karachi’s Gizri locality just as Police Superintendent (SP) Farooq Awan, chief of the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) Special Investigation Unit (SIU), was passing by the area on his way home from work. While SP Awan escaped the attack – the third attempt on his life – with minor injuries, two passersby lost their lives.

“One man was brought to us dead,” the in-charge of Jinnah Hospital’s emergency department Dr Seemin Jamali told The Express Tribune. “Another man passed away during treatment,” she said.

The deceased were identified as 60-year-old Abdul Ghaffoor, a resident of the city’s Defence locality, and 30-year-old Kaleemullah, a delivery man for a local eatery.

At least six other people, including two women and members of Awan’s security detail, were injured in the attack. According to Dr Jamali, their condition was stable.

While the nature of the attack was uncertain at first, experts from the bomb disposal squad (BDS) confirmed the blast was carried out using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). “Over 50 kilogrammes of explosive material was used in the device,” a BDS official told The Express Tribune.

The blast was so powerful that it was heard miles away, in areas as far apart as Karachi’s Malir locality, according to reports. It damaged power pylons in the vicinity, leaving much of the surrounding area without electricity, along with signboards and the windows of nearby houses.

“Footage from CCTV cameras installed around the blast site showed a young man park a Suzuki pick-up truck beside the footpath and walk away from the area,” chief of CID’s Counter-Terrorism Unit Raja Omar Khattab said. “Some time later, two men on a motorcycle stopped by the Suzuki, took a look, and left. Awan’s squad passed by the site four minutes later, around 9:07pm, and that’s when the blast took place,” he added. According to him, the bomb was remotely detonated.

“This attack has much in common with the attack on SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan,” Khattab told The Express Tribune. “Both officers were targeted on their way home from work.”

According to police sources, intelligence agencies had issued a warning about possible attacks on senior policemen in Karachi a few days back. The warning was issued following the release of Mufti Shakir, who was arrested in connection with the attack on Chaudhry Aslam.

While sources pointed towards the Abid Mucchar group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as a likely suspect behind the attack, CID’s Khattab thought Jundullah could have been behind it. “Over the last year, Jundullah has become active in Karachi again,” he said.

While SP Awan has not been directly involved in recent operations against terrorist outfits in the city, Khattab said all officers who worked against banned outfits in the past were being targeted.

Awan, a highly decorated police officer, has been involved in anti-terrorism cases for a good part of his 31-year career. Highlights in his career include the Daniel Pearl murder case and the attack on Iranian engineers.

The SIU chief is also the third Sindh police counter-terrorism official to be targeted by militants in Karachi in less than a year. Earlier, SP Chaudhry Aslam and Specialised Investigation Team in-charge Shafiq Tanoli were killed in separate bombings in the city.

President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Chairman Senate, Leader of the House and Opposition in Senate have condemned the attack on SP Awan.

PTI chief Imran Khan has also condemned the assault and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Rangers on Friday evening handed over five Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members, detained in the raid on the party office on Abul Hasan Ispahani road, to police.

MQM workers Aqeel, Rashid, Kashif, Naushad and Tariq, who were arrested by rangers during the raid on the party’s Gulshan-e-Maymar office were handed over to District Malir’s investigation wing of Sachal police.
Sachal SHO M Shoaib said no new case was being registered against suspects since they had already been nominated in previously existing criminal cases along with cases of rioting.

The three other workers remain Rangers custody for 90 days.

Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain has summoned a general workers meeting on Saturday evening, 5pm. The meeting will be held at the MQM headquarters.

Altaf said he will make important declarations in the meeting regarding the double standards of the ‘establishment.’

KARACHI: Four people were injured in two bomb attacks on the police in different parts of Karachi on Wednesday evening. 

The first attack took place at around 8:45pm when unidentified assailants threw an improvised explosive device at a police van from the Hassan Square flyover.

As a result of the attack, driver Rahim and police constable Mushtaq were injured. They were shifted to a hospital for treatment.

DSP Nasir Lodhi said the police personnel were attacked by unidentified persons who threw a locally made bomb at them from the Hassan Square flyover.

Half an hour later, unidentified persons attacked the Tipu Sultan police station. The blast injured two passers-by, and caused damage to the wall of the station.

Rangers and police immediately reached the blast sites and cordoned off the area.

KARACHI: At least 14 people including six police personnel were injured in a blast near a police vehicle in Orangi Town in Karachi on Sunday evening, Express News reported.

According to details, 14 people were injured when a blast took place near a police van in the Frontier Colony area of Orangi Town, within the jurisdiction of Peerabad Police station.

The explosive material was fixed in a motorcycle and was detonated by a remote control device, said Express News correspondent Naeem Khanzada.

Earlier, Rangers claimed to have recovered a huge cache of explosives, rockets, weapons and ammunition during a raid in Karachi.

According to details, during a raid at a house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 3, Rangers recovered 20kg of explosives, 16 rockets, 10 Kalashnikovs, a suicide jacket and hundreds of bullets.

The raid was conducted on the information provided by three suspects arrested earlier.

In the latest encounter that began at around 1:30pm and lasted around two hours, District Malir police claim to have killed seven ‘hardcore’ militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan – Swat Chapter – at their hideout at Lasi Goth, Sohrab Goth.

As usual, the police claim they conducted the raid on a tip-off regarding the presence of the militants. The raid later turned into a fierce gun battle between the police and the militants as the former faced massive resistance. They, however, retaliated with full force. As a result of the onslaught, seven militants were killed.

“They even hurled hand grenades at us but fortunately, none of our personnel was hurt,” Sohrab Goth DSP Qamar Ahmed told The Express Tribune. The officer said that seven militants were killed while some of their comrades managed to escape under the cover of fire.

Three of the seven militants were later identified as Amin, Hazrat Hussain and Lal Zada, while the bodies of the remaining were shifted to Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification.

Police officials claim that the deceased militants were involved in the attack on slain police officer SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan. “We are sure that they were involved in the attack on SP Khan,” said DSP Ahmed. The officer added that Amin was the brother of the suicide bomber who had attacked SP Khan with the explosive-laden vehicle.  It was Amin who had allegedly prepared the explosive-laden vehicle used to attack SP Khan. Police officials also claim to have seized a huge cache of explosives, hand grenades and weapons from the militants’ hideout.

Sharing details of the remaining deceased militants, the officer said that Hazrat Hussain had been involved in monitoring SP Khan’s movement and Lal Zada had arranged for the explosives to carry out the attack.

At least four dozen alleged militants have been gunned down in Sohrab Goth since the start of the Karachi operation on September 5, last year. In the last encounter, seven militants associated with the TTP’s Waliur Rehman group were killed by the same police team on September 17, this year. Residents of Sohrab Goth claim that the police are killing innocent people in ‘fake encounters’.

Six more suspects killed

Four suspected robbers were lynched by residents of different localities in separate incidents of vigilante justice, while two alleged street criminals were killed during an encounter with the police on Super Highway.

Two alleged street criminals were beaten to death by a mob in Orangi Town within the limits of Pakistan Bazar police station. The suspects were looting passersby when the resident caught them and starting beating them up. Both the suspects were critically injured. The police later reached the site and rescued them from the mob. They were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where both succumbed to their injuries during treatment. They were later identified as Farhan alias Zahrila and Waseem.

On Saturday night, two alleged street criminals were caught by residents at Ghaus Pak Road in Korangi when they were robbing people on gunpoint at a milk shop. The suspects opened fire in an attempt to flee but the mob managed to get a hold of them and beat them unconscious. Both suspects were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where they succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.

On Sunday, two suspects were killed in an alleged encounter with the police near Cattle Market on Super Highway. Police officials said that the encounter took place when the suspects were looting visitors of the cattle market, adding that police reached the site and killed two of the five suspects after an exchange of fire, while three of their companions managed to escape.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2014.

KARACHI: The Eid holidays proved tragic for a number of families as at least 23 people died due to consumption of toxic liquor in the last 24 hours in Karachi as of Wednesday afternoon. 

Fourteen other patients described to be in critical condition were receiving treatment at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Hospital (JPMC). Confirming.

Dr Seemi Jamali of JPMC said that the deceased belonged to Landhi, Korangi, Bilal Colony, Zaman Town and Shah Faisal Town areas of Karachi.

“It is premature to say whether anybody lost his eye sight or not as they are unconscious and under treatment,” Jamali told The Express Tribune.

According to police officials, the vendors of the toxic liquor have been arrested during raid in various parts of the city.

Last week, over 20 people died in Hyderabad due to the consumption of toxic liquor. Around 150 sellers and buyers of the hazardous substance were arrested.

Following the deaths, on October 5, the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government stripped Mukesh Kumar Chawla of the Excise and Taxation portfolio over what the party’s senior leadership termed the minister’s ‘negligence’ in issuing licenses to substandard wine shops in Hyderabad.

“The investigations had established that he [Chawla] started issuing the liquor permits, without even directing the officials under his ministry to visit the shops and carry out regular inspections,” a senior PPP leader and chief minister’s aide told The Express Tribune, while requesting anonymity.

Officially, the sale and purchase of these petroleum products is banned in Pakistan. The ban, however, has made it even more coveted for the thousands involved in its smuggling, for whom the contraband provides a lucrative income at minimal risk.

Roadside stalls selling Iranian petroleum products set up in North Karachi. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

Dealers claim they pay heavy bribes to the police, Pakistan Customs, Pakistan Coast Guards and other agencies to keep their business alive. These agencies have come under fire on several occasions by government officials and members of civil society for their complicity in the illicit trade. The deadly accident of a passenger bus near Hub Chowki, carrying containers of the contraband, which had claimed over 40 lives, had raised much hue and cry among the civil society.

The police jumped into action; the Customs officials struck a few smugglers’ dens and the coastguards claimed to have detained several men trying to smuggle the contraband. A few months later, the noise died down and business resumed as usual.

Roadside stalls selling Iranian petroleum products set up in New Karachi. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

In Karachi, the contraband is sold at small roadside stalls or makeshift outlets in the densely-populated areas where there is a huge demand for the cheaper fuel.

Sale and purchase in Karachi

Some roadside vendors mix the fuel with that purchased from the Pakistan State Oil pumps and sell it for around Rs2 above the market rate. Others sell purely Iranian fuel at lower rates. These pumps are located at a fair distance from each other and it is convenient for motorists to fill the fuel at these pumps rather than travel long distances.

“I charge Rs2 extra for providing the facility closer to the area [where there are no pumps nearby]. Motorists can save the money they would otherwise have to spend to get to the nearest petrol pump,” said one roadside vendor.

Roadside stalls selling Iranian petroleum products set up in Surjani Town. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

Some of these vendors, particularly in Manghopir, Surjani, Orangi Town, SITE, Lyari and Ibrahim Hyderi have installed standardised dispensers at the stations.

The popularity of Iranian petroleum products can be gauged from the fact that Tara Chand Road in Keamari boasts more than five road vendors, besides dozens of stalls selling the contraband. Each one of these enterprises pays a bribe to the area police.

A survey shows that hundreds of people are involved in the business in the city. “The death of 40 people has snatched the bread from the mouths of hundreds of people associated with the business,” said Imran Khan, who was a wholesaler of Iranian fuel before the Hub accident. “Business has resumed but the profit margins are less as you must pay more to keep the police and others silent.”

While Iranian products are harmful for engines, their main advantage is the low rates. Depending on the area, pure Iranian petrol and diesel is between Rs20 to Rs40 cheaper than the standard petrol and diesel. “I do not know about the quality and the purity of the Iranian petrol but I do know that if the city shuts down or the petrol pumps go on strike, these road vendors run our vehicles,” said Kashif Naeem, a resident of Orangi Town.

Transporters’ profits

For the transporters, however, the contraband has provided a much-needed break.

The owner of a logistics company, Khaled Niazi, complained that they had been forced to use Iranian diesel in their trucks to make ends meet. The rates for hiring goods carriers vary each day, depending on the demand. “On Saturday, for example, a truck carrying 30 tons from Karachi to Lahore costs between Rs128,000 to Rs130,000.”

On average, a truck carrying this weight consumes around 750 to 800 litres of diesel from Karachi to Lahore. At Rs112 per litre for standard fuel, the cost of fuel alone would come to Rs89,600. Other costs including toll taxes, tyre punctures, food for the drivers, salaries and bribes for the police come to around Rs35,000 per trip. The total cost of a trip for the truck from Karachi to Lahore would come to around Rs124,600. This gives a profit of only around Rs4,000 to Rs6,000 per trip. At Rs90 per litre, the Iranian diesel provides a suitable alternative for these truck owners. According to Niazi, the only way to stop the truck owners from using the Iranian diesel is for the government to fix the rates of hire and alter the rates with the fuel prices.

Route

The goods carriers that transport cargo to Balochistan and even Iran bring back the fuel drums on the way back to Karachi. They use alternative routes to avoid the main check posts but largely travel along the Coastal highway, RCD highway, Quetta Seryab Road and Lasbella Road, reaching Karachi’s precincts at the Hub Chowki.

From Hub Chowki, they leave the conventional route, turning towards the Hub Bridge from where they head towards the Hub River. The largely unpaved roads at this site stretch for about one mile and connect to Mochko, Manghopir and Surjani.

Thus the vehicles enter the city through these katcha roads, and empty the contraband into underground storage tanks at Surjani and Manghopir. From these storage tanks, the fuel is supplied throughout the city in small vans and tankers.

Business is good

On average, approximately one million litres of Iranian fuel is smuggled into Karachi each month. A large share of the profits goes to the Customs, police and political parties, depending on their area of influence. The police, in each area, record the number of tankers and vans transporting the contraband and then charge the dealers accordingly. “Until and unless, there is demand for the cheap Iranian fuel, no one can stop it from being smuggled into the city,” an officer of the Pakistan Coast Guards told The Express Tribune.

Pakistan Customs is re-launching surveys of illegal petrol pumps operating in Karachi. “The aim of the survey is to gauge the quantity of the contraband being sold in the city,” the Pakistan Customs spokesperson told The Express Tribune. “The question is how are they able to smuggle the contraband to Karachi and sell it here,” he said. The official cited the example of a time when the Customs officials had stopped an entourage of trucks carrying the contraband near the Hub Chowki. The personnel of a security agency had intervened and ordered the officials to let them go.

“From the police constable to the ministers, all are involved in this illegal business,” remarked the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association chairperson Sami Khan. “I have been struggling against this menace since the last 10 years but have not been able to convince the authorities to implement the embargo properly.”

The police have the main responsibility to stop the illegal business that has mushroomed over last decade or so. “The lower ranking policemen are directly involved in the business,” explained a senior police official, requesting anonymity. Even the higher ranking officials are involved, but their connection is indirect.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2014.

The law enforcement agencies are covering all grounds as they carry out security checks for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally being planned for October 18. The party’s patron-in-chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is expected to launch his political career yet again at the rally which is being held the same day as his mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, returned to Pakistan after a long exile.

In order to ensure fool-proof security, the police have started collecting the data of all residents living in the neighbourhoods on the VIP routes marked for the day of the jalsa. Even those living close to the rally venue are being checked for details of their family members, guests and relatives.

After collecting the data of the occupants, the policeman also takes an undertaking from the residents, residential unions and neighbourhood associations for assurance, explained a senior officer of the police intelligence branch. The person or union signing the undertaking commit that they will be responsible of any suspicious activity that takes place within their premises, he added.

“We will charge them under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and they will also pay a penalty of Rs200,000 to the Government of Pakistan,” the senior officer explained.

According to him, only those houses located on the front side of the VIPs routes, such as Sharae Faisal and Sharae Quaideen, are being surveyed at the moment. Sensitive areas, such as Khudadad Colony and Lines Area, are being surveyed completely. Partial surveys have also been conducted in parts of districts East and South, such as MA Jinnah Road, Peoples Chowrangi, Preedy Street, Jahangir Road, Jamshed Quarters, Patel Para, Nursery and Soldier Bazaar.

The officer said they cannot estimate the number of houses they will survey yet as the work is still under way. “The survey will take a few more days but most likely around 3,000 houses and apartments are likely to be surveyed.”

The police claimed this is not the first time they are carrying out such a survey as they follow the same protocol before the Muharram processions. “After this survey, no one [militants] will be able to achieve their goals,” hoped the senior police officer.

Residents’ reaction

Once the local police officers leave the house after a survey, residents have been getting follow-up visits from officers of the Crime Investigation Department and the Special Branch. “They [law enforces] are treating us like terrorists,” complained a Lines Area resident, Imran Ahmed.  But there are others who are happy to see the police are being so thorough. “It is fair to ask us about our family details, how long we’ve been living here, our source of income,” said Talha Ali, who lives in a residential flat on MA Jinnah Road. “This will help us too.”

Security plan

The police have started collecting data of the residents in order to maintain an active database for the future as well. “Often militants stay in adjacent areas before they carry out terrorist activities,” said DSP Rahim Shah. “There are serious security threats and we cannot take it lightly.”

According to the security plan, the parking facility will be set up at one spot, nearly two kilometres away from the rally site. Walkthrough metal detectors, security cameras and jammers will also be installed. The police’s K-9 dog unit and bomb disposal squad will also sweep the VIP route, the parking area and the rally venue before the big day.

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

Dr Shoaib was shot dead with three others, including a teenage footballer, by the police and paramilitary force in an alleged encounter in Malir.

The encounter took place near Bawan Shah Goth, Malir on Sunday morning. The bodies of the four men were taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for identification where it was confirmed that Dr Shoaib and a young footballer, Shahzeb Razzak, were dead. According to the Rangers spokesperson, they conducted an operation based on information they had received earlier. “When they [the gangsters] saw the Rangers approaching they started firing at our men,” he said. “The Rangers retaliated and four gang members were killed.”

He added that Dr Shoaib was among those killed in firing. The Rangers spokesperson claimed that they also recovered an awan launcher, four sub-machineguns (SMGs), MP-5 rifle, a 9mm pistol. He added that besides weapons, uniforms belonging to personnel of the paramilitary forces and police, bandoliers, hostlers, cameras, laser lights and wigs were also recovered.

Who was Dr Shoaib?

Dr Shoaib, a resident of Singu Lane, Chakiwara, became a member of Lyari’s underworld with Ghaffar Zikri – a successor of Arshad Pappu, one of the main players of the Lyari gang war who was killed last year.

“Zikri, Dr Shoaib and two others visited Arshad Pappu and asked him to give them a chance to become a member of the gang,” said a source. “Pappu gave them a task which they completed successfully and since then, Zikri and Dr Shoaib, have played a vital role in the area and gang.”

A source from a Lyari gang told The Express Tribune that since Sohail Dada, the operational commander of the Uzair Baloch gang in Malir was killed by the police a few months ago, Dr Shoaib was tasked by Zikri and Baba Ladla to take over their rival’s Malir territory.

“It was a good opportunity to take over that area,” explained the source. “Dr Shoaib and his men had started controlling some of the areas in Malir in the last two weeks.” The source added that their grand plan was to take over areas in Gadap and Malir which included Aansoo Goth, Salar Goth, Bakra Piri, Malir City and Memon Goth.

‘Shahzeb was sleeping when they took him away’

A teenager identified as Shahzeb Razzak was among the four people shot dead in the alleged encounter on Sunday morning. His family told The Express Tribune that Shahzeb represented Pakistan in two international football events in China and Iran last year.

“He played as midfielder for Pakistan’s under-14 football team,” said the family. “He was asleep at his sister’s house in Malir when people dressed in plain clothes took him away and killed him in an encounter.”

Young Shahzeb’s death has shocked the local football federation. “We can’t believe this,” said the president of the District South Football Federation Gulab Baloch while talking to The Express Tribune. “Shahzeb was a good player. We do not know what exactly happened or why it did.”

On the other hand, police officials claim that Shahzeb was a member of Dr Shoaib’s gang. “If he was an innocent then what was he doing there with Dr Shoaib?” said Malir DSP Fakharul Islam. “Who says that a footballer can’t be a gangster? Many of the footballers and boxers from Lyari have been involved in criminal activities so this won’t be a first.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2014.

The attempt was reminiscent of the daring breakout  in April 2011 when the Afghan Taliban had tunneled at least 480 inmates out of the main prison in Kandahar province of Afghanistan, whisking them through a 1,000-foot-long underground passage they had dug over months.

On this side of the border, the Pakistani Taliban had freed nearly 600 inmates – among them some high-profile Taliban fighters – in near-identical raids on Bannu and DI Khan prisons in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Col Tahir Mehmood of Sindh Rangers said that the 45-metre-long tunnel was discovered three days ago during an intelligence-led raid by Rangers personnel in Ghausia Colony, located on the back side of the Central Jail, Karachi.

The ground-plus-one-storey house was purchased by terrorists a year ago but they started digging the underground passage – five feet high and three feet wide – some two months back, sources told The Express Tribune.

“Nearly 45-metre tunnel had already been dug from an underground water tank at the house towards a dry well inside the jail boundary, and was just 10 metres short of its target when the Rangers conducted the raid based on information provided by intelligence agencies,” Col Tahir told a news conference at the Rangers headquarters.

He added that they also detained terrorists from the house but did not name them or say how many. Sources, however, said that three to four terrorists were taken into custody from the premises. Col Tahir claimed that they have also made more arrests from other parts of the city on the basis of information gleaned from the detained terrorists.

The aging, overcrowded Karachi prison houses over 5,500 inmates – including around 100 terrorists from groups like Haqqani Network of the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba and Jundullah. Nearly 100 dangerous terrorists were present in the cells near the well where the suspects wanted to enter through the tunnel, sources added.

Sources said that members of four banned outfits were involved in the daring plot. “They were planning a major terrorist attack before the month of Muharram to divert the attention of the law enforcers and then take advantage and stage a jailbreak,” one source explained.

Interestingly, there is a heavy deployment of Rangers, police and jail staffers in the area where they have set up watchtowers and pickets atop nearby buildings, while jammers are also installed in the vicinity. The house is located between watchtowers of the jail police atop the boundary wall and pickets of district police on the rooftops of the buildings adjacent to the jail.

The provincial minister for prisons, Manzoor Wassan, told the media that the house belongs to a police constable and six policemen had been deployed atop its roof. He added that an inquiry has been ordered, led by Home Secretary Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi. The inquiry committee, comprising officials from Rangers, district police, jail police and intelligence agencies, will submit its report to the chief minister within a week.

The area police disputed Wassan’s claims. “Neither any police picket was set up at the house nor does the house belong to any policeman,” a senior officer of the District East police told The Express Tribune. He sought to pass the buck, saying that it was a responsibility of intelligence agencies to trace such activities.

Local residents say that the house was purchased by a drug addict, namely Bholo, about a year ago. “Three fair-complexioned and sturdy men, one of them named Shahid Butt, lived in the house,” a resident told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity. “They had good relations with all residents. They used to sleep outside the house – on a rickshaw or a flight of stairs,” he added. “They used to move dirt covered in packets in vehicles from the house.”

Ghausia Colony, which has a population of one million, escaped the attention of law enforcers during the year-long targeted operation in Karachi. Also, the neighbourhood didn’t come under the radar even after the deadly attacks on senior police officers SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan and Inspector Shafiq Tanoli as well as grenade attacks on the prison and repeated warnings of a possible jailbreak from intelligence agencies.

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

KARACHI: Forty-year-old Asad Khan was ecstatic. He had just been promoted and couldn’t wait to get home and share the good news with his wife and two children. His life was, however, brought to an abrupt end by the police who shot him dead as he was leaving the market after buying sweets to celebrate the good news.

A resident of Muslim Town, near Nagan Chowrangi, Khan was employed at a textile mill at SITE. He was on the way home when a single bullet ended his life. This time, however, the perpetrators were those under oath to protect the lives of all citizens – the police.

The events surrounding the incident remain vague as the police have issued several statements, each contradicting the previous one. Witnesses and family members of the deceased claim Khan was killed by police firing near the Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad.

“The police are frequently changing their statements,” Khan’s brother-in-law, Muhammad Adeel, told The Express Tribune. “Initially, they declared him a dacoit. A little later, they said he was killed in the crossfire between robbers and the police. Now, they are claiming he was killed by robbers during an alleged encounter.”

Khan was shot once in the head and died moments later. His death put the whole family into a state of shock and they refused to bury him until the perpetrators were taken to task. They staged a five-hour-long sit-in at the scene of incident that ended only after a case was registered against the police personnel.

Though they have ended the protest, the family realise the tragedy will continue to haunt them for the rest of their lives. Khan’s two young sons have yet to come to terms with their loss. “They (people) are saying my father has been killed but how is this even possible?” asked his younger son, Hammad, a student of class VIII. “He had promised me a cycle on his promotion. I know he will come back with my cycle,” he exclaimed, refusing to reconcile with the hard fact.

Khan’s funeral prayers were offered near his house and he was later laid to rest at New Karachi graveyard. A large number of people, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan attended the funeral. They demanded the government to compensate his family.

Contradictory statements by police

Soon after the incident, the police had declared Khan a robber, claiming he was killed during an encounter with the police. After the family started to protest, however, the police changed their statement, saying he was killed by robbers’ firing during an encounter between the police and robbers.

“The police did not kill him,” maintained SHO Nawaz Gondal, who has now been suspended, pending further investigations. “He was killed by the robbers’ gunfire.”

Meanwhile, an FIR, No. 201/14 against the four policemen – Azam, Irfan Shafiq, Rehan Pasha and Adil has been registered on behalf of the victim’s relative, Junaid Hussain, under Section 302 (murder).

Interestingly, even with the registration of the FIR, none of the accused personnel have been arrested. They have reportedly fled after the incident. The investigators, however, claim the accused have not escaped. “It is very unfortunate that an innocent bystander was killed,” said the IO, Shakeel Rind. The officer added that the accused personnel had maintained during interrogation that Khan was killed by the robbers’ gunfire. “We are investigating the case on merit,” he asserted. “These policemen will be arrested and punished according to the law if found responsible for the murder.”

Precedent sets little hope for justice

This was certainly not the first time that the police or Rangers have killed an innocent man, declaring them a criminal. In the last high-profile case of this nature, two police personnel and a civilian were accused of murdering two men in a ‘fake’ encounter in Orangi Town in April 2014. A murder case was registered against the accused. All three, however, have still evaded arrest, allegedly through the connivance of their senior officials.

In this incident too, the police had initially declared both the victims as criminals, saying that they were killed in an encounter when they were looting passersby. The claims were, however, proved farcical when a private news channel aired footage of the killings that showed the police personnel shooting dead the victims after dragging them out of their vehicle.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2014.

KARACHI: In a daring daylight raid on Sunday, robbers stormed the head office of the Edhi Foundation in Mithadar, where they held staffers including renowned philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi hostage before fleeing with valuables worth millions of rupees.

Edhi, who is revered for running one of the country’s largest charities, was sleeping when up to eight gunmen barged into the foundation’s building, which is nestled in Karachi’s congested commercial hub.

They broke into storage vaults that contained five kilogrammes of gold, foreign and local currency worth millions of rupees and fled, leaving the worried octogenarian humanitarian worker to deal with the consequences.

“They [robbers] asked me about Edhi sahib. I said he is sleeping inside a room,” a visibly terrified staffer of the foundation said while talking to The Express Tribune.

The social entrepreneur, who is in his late 80s was still sleeping inside one of the rooms located on the ground floor of his foundation’s head office, when the men dressed in shalwar-kameez pointing handguns at him demanded the keys for the lockers.

While talking to Express News, Edhi said he was woken up from his sleep by the bandits who walked straight to the locker where the money and gold was kept.

“I thought they came to ask me about the Edhi centre but they started asking me about money. I don’t understand how they (bandits) knew that everything was kept in the cupboard,” he said.

“The money and gold stolen belonged to those who entrusted me with it,” Edhi said.

Even after he told them that he didn’t have the keys, they walked up to the cupboard and smashed it.” “They did not manhandle me,” he added.

His son, Faisal Edhi, confirmed that eight to ten men entered the centre and took his father and others present at the centre hostage. He hinted that someone from the staffers either current or former might have been behind the act.

Edhi’s son claimed the bandits fled with Rs50 million along with $400,000 and five kgs gold, much of which he said belonged to members of the public, who are allowed to store cash and valuables with the charity.

Security situation

There were no security guards at the welfare centre at the time of the incident and neither were any CCTV cameras installed. Police have collected fingerprints from the crime scene and have launched an investigation into the matter.

A case has also been registered at the Kharadar police station on behalf of Faisal Edhi against unidentified persons.

Subsequently, Kharadar SHO was suspended while an investigation team headed by Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo was also constituted to probe the case, which has shocked many across the country.

“We provided him with security but Edhi sahab asked us to withdraw. We are now trying to convince him about security and installation of CCTV cameras,” SSP Sheeraz Nazeer told The Express Tribune.

He said that the police are unwilling to rule out the possibility of the involvement of an insider.

Meanwhile, government officials including the prime minister, provincial governor and chief minister issued a sharp condemnation of the incident and called for an inquiry.

Edhi is credited for running the largest ambulance service in the country – his foundation has a network of offices around the world that raise funds to run what is Pakistan’s largest health charity.

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

Addressing a news conference at the party’s Nine Zero headquarters on Saturday, MQM Rabita Committee members — including Abdul Haseeb Khan, Wasay Jalil and Amir Kham — appealed to transporters and traders to shut their businesses in order to support the black day call.

“The black day is being observed throughout the country,” said Abdul Haseeb, adding that Shah, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, repeated his “derogatory” comments against Mohajirs not once but four times during his media talk a few days ago.

He said the Rabita committee in London had also endorsed the decision. Both leaders of the party and its workers would wear black arm bands and hoist flags in their offices to record their peaceful protest.

Haseeb was of the view that Shah’s remarks had whipped up a frenzy among Urdu-speaking people, who had rendered great sacrifices for the country.

“The MQM has also filed a petition for blasphemy under Article 295-C against Khursheed Shah and it is the judiciary’s prerogative to make a decision on it,” he added.

Three hours after the first press conference, the MQM Rabita Committee’s Deputy Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui once again addressed the media and said the party will also hold a demonstration in Karachi at 3:00pm to protest against Shah’s ‘blasphemous comments’.

He said Shah’s comments had hurt the sentiments of the whole Muslim world.  Both Shah and the PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto’s remarks against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain led the MQM to abandon the PPP-led coalition government in Sindh

Shah had tendered an apology a few minutes after his statement but the MQM said he had passed insulting remarks with regard to the word ‘Mohajir’, a term which, it said, was also used for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as he had migrated from Makkah to Madinah.

Altaf and Mohajir Rabita Council endorsed the appeal for black day. Meanwhile, Karachi Transport Ittehad Chairman Irshad Bukhari also said that transport will remain off the road today (Sunday).

Meanwhile, businesses in different parts of Karachi started to close down after the MQM announced plans to observe ‘black day’ on Sunday (today).

The affected localities included Federal B Area, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony, Kharadar and Mithadar areas.

In these areas, commercial activities, which usually continue till late night started to slacken by the evening and shops and fuel pumps in various localities were also closed down.

However, no incident of aerial firing or forced closing was reported.

After the MQM’s announcement, police and Rangers personnel mounted patrolling. To avoid any untoward incident, the law enforcement agencies were asked to be on alert and take stern action against anyone found engaged in closing businesses and shops.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2014.

KARACHI: Nine suspected members of banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and al Qaeda were killed in an encounter with the police on the outskirts of the city on Sunday.

The clash broke out in the Mian Khan Goth area near the National Highway after police received intelligence information about the presence of TTP militants in a hideout.

Earlier this month, police killed seven Taliban insurgents in the Sohrab Goth area on the city’s outskirts.

This time, the police claim to have killed militants plotting to conduct terrorist activities during Muharramul Haram processions. Over half a dozen militants, including their ring-leader; however, managed to escape during an exchange of fire.

In the encounter that began at around 2pm and lasted for about three hours, an extra contingent of police headed by Malir SSP Rao Anwar claim to have killed nine militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

“SSP sahib was himself leading the raid,” DSP Qamar Ahmed told The Express Tribune. “The raid turned into a fierce gun battle between the police and the militants as the police came under heavy fire during the raid.”

Police officials said that they later retaliated with full force. As a result of the onslaught, nine militants were killed. The militants also attacked the police, and lobbed hand grenades during an exchange of fire; however, no official was hurt.

Bodies of the killed militants were later shifted to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification after medico-legal formalities completed at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Police said they were trying to learn the identities of the deceased. However, the group’s ring-leader, who escaped the scene, had been identified and police was looking for him.

“Their mastermind has been identified as Irshadullah Waziri, son of Ashrafullah,” said DSP Ahmed. “Waziri is an expert in making vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED).” He is also TTP’s Sindh chapter chief, added Rao.

Police officials said that the killed and escaped militants were planning to carryout major terrorist activities in Karachi during Muharramul Haram and had also recovered a huge cache of explosives, hand grenades and weapons.

A rickshaw was also recovered, which had allegedly been used to carryout a bomb blast during the holy month.

DSP Ahmed said that the killed militants were also involved in major bomb blasts and attacks on police and Rangers in Karachi, adding that they also reclaimed two sub machine guns (SMGs), which belonged to policemen killed by the same terrorists in the city’s Quaidabad area few months back.