Karachi, February 20, 2023 (PPI-OT):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah giving a policy statement on the Karachi Police Office attack on February 17 on the floor of the assembly not only disclosed some details of the investigations made so far but also unveiled the post-attack security plan being enforced in the city. Attack on KPO: The chief minister said that three terrorists wearing suicide jackets, drove through Police quarters in a 95-Model car and scaled the compound wall, and entered the KPO at around 7.10 pm on February 17, 2023.

The terrorists with their infiltration into the four-story KPO building opened indiscriminate fire with the objective to hostage as many police staff as possible, Mr. Shah said, and appreciated a Rangers Brigadier who along with a squad of six to seven Rangers was returning from somewhere rushed to the KPO and participated in the operation. Meanwhile, DIG South and other police officers of CTD and Special Branch even though they were not posted in the area reached the spot and properly led the operation against the terrorists.

Mr Shah disclosed that he learned about the attack by 7.20 pm and without any delay, he talked to the IG police and told him to plan a ruthless operation against minimum loss to control the situation. He added that the Additional IG Karachi Javed Odho was in Islamabad, but he was in touch with his DIGs and IG Police. “I am proud to say that the policemen and rangers who participated in the operation demonstrated a national unity in the sense that they were of different languages hailing from nook and corner of the country,” the CM said and added the KPO operation was the manifestation of national unity and against the terrorists.

The CM disclosed that the Pak Army snipers were deployed on the rooftop of the nearby buildings and a plan was discussed to use Pak navy night-sighting helicopters in the operation but thanks to God that the police and Rangers killed two terrorists while the third one blasted himself at the third floor. Murad Ali Shah said that Ranger Sub Inspector Taimur Shahzad of Shujababd, Multan, a police constable Latif of Shikarpur, Head Constable Ghulam Abbas of Larkana, Constable Saeed of Orangi Town and Sanitary worker Ajmal of Faisalabad lost their lives while fighting against the terrorists. He added that 18 policemen and Ranger and one civilian sustained injuries and were shifted to hospital.

The CM raised a question about how the terrorists from North Waziristan and Laki Marwat carrying suicide jackets and weapons travelled all along and reached Karachi and attacked KPO required us to be assessed our intelligence work, security lapses, and weaknesses. Mr. Shah disclosed that the 95-Model Car used by the terrorist was plying on a Transfer letter though it has been sold to the fourth owner no one bothered to transfer it in his name. The TTP has claimed responsibility for the attack, he said and added an FIR No. 20/2023 has been registered and an investigation was in progress.

The CM said that the provincial police have a good track record of working out high-profile cases. Though the terrorist attack on KPO has shaken us yet our resolve to defeat the enemies of our beloved country, people and religion has further strengthened, Murad Shah said and added that he was satisfied that the people of Pakistan, particularly of this city have set aside their political affiliations and difference and shown an unprecedented unity against the terrorists.

The people of this city experienced the worst law and order in the 1980s, 90s, 2000 decade and 2013 when the Karachi operation was launched after the attack on APS Peshawar. “We had protected the people in those worst days and will protect our people this time,” he said and added, “we would not talk to them [terrorists] but kill them.” The CM said that after the attack on a mosque of Police Line Peshawar, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Apex Committee. “We are implementing the decisions taken in the meeting,” he said.

Issues: Talking about issues, the CM said that there was a threat alert and then how the terrorists reached the KP – he questioned and then answered” it was security laxity.” He said that it was also the weakness of our intelligence work that could not collect information. When the terrorist cut the barbed wire Constable Abbas Leghari confronted them in which he was killed. The question is where the other policemen were when they were cutting the [barbed] wires – they should be killed there, he said.

Decisions: The chief minister disclosed the decisions his government has taken to face such threats including impounding of the vehicles plying on the open letter. “Our Excise department with the support of law enforcement agencies would start road checking to not allow others. Murad Shah said that an SOP would be issued under which motorists would be guided to be standstill when an untoward incident was taking place on or close to the road they were using. He disclosed that when the KPO was under attack the Shahrah-e-Faisal was closed to traffic but even then, motorists were trying to use it.

Mr. Shah said that when the terrorists attacked the KPO our welfare organizations, particularly the ambulance services rushed there and without considering the level of the attack reached the spot, as a result, the first injured turned out to be the ambulance crew. A similar attitude was also demonstrated by the media who started reporting from the spot where all the lights, including the streetlights, were switched off and firing between the police and the terrorists were in progress and started making speculations, the CM complained. Thank the ambulance service organization and the media Murad Ali Shah urged them to extend a helping hand responsibly.

The CM said that the Welfare Organizations and the media would be given SOP for covering such events. Mr. Shah categorically said that no security guard in plain clothes would be allowed to carry weapons in vehicles. He added that in such cases not only vehicles would be impounded but guards would be arrested. The CM said that he has been conducting a security audit of strategic institutions and would do it once again so that necessary security arrangements could be made for them. At the conclusion of his speech, the CM saluted to the shahada of KPO, prayed for the injured of the attack, and paid tribute to the veterans of the attack.

For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019 (Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk