The death toll of the attack on the Karachi Police Office (KPO) on Sunday rose to five. A first information report (FIR) was registered under terrorism charges against the perpetrators and the facilitators, Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reported.
The Dawn had earlier reported, the hours-long combat between terrorists and law-enforcement agencies, comprising Pak Army Special Service Group (SSG), Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Sindh Police, on Friday at the KPO located at Sharea Faisal left four people killed and 18 injured. All three terrorists belonging to the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed. A police officer injured in the attack, on Sunday succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
The officer, Abdul Latif, 50, had joined the police in 2014 on ex-army quota and was performing his duty at the Special Security Unit. He left behind a widow and seven children, including six daughters.
The policeman’s funeral prayers were held at police headquarters, attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Sindh chief secretary, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IG) Ghulam Nabi Memon and other senior officials.
CM Shah and IG Memon met with the victim’s heirs and appreciated the bravery of the officer, according to Dawn.
A meeting was chaired by the IG to ensure “foolproof security” at Police Lines and other important installations, according to the police spokesperson.
Dawn on Sunday reported that the Pakistani police formed a five-member committee to investigate the Karachi police chief’s office attack and will also supervise the case’s progress.
As per the order issued from the office of the Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, the committee will include the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Zulfiqar Ali Larik as its chairman while the other members included Karachi South Zone DIGP Irfan Ali Baloch, Crime Investigation Agency DIGP Muhammad Karim Khan, Karachi CTD Operations Senior Superintendent of Police Tariq Nawaz and Karachi CTD Investigation Incharge Raja Umer Khitab.
The order also said that the Chairman could opt out of any other member required for conducting the investigation, reported Dawn.
Karachi Police office was attacked on Friday. The attack began at 7.10 pm, while police and Rangers personnel cleared the five-story building in phases, finally sweeping the entire office by around 10.46 pm.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Saturday paid a visit to the victims of the terrorist attack on the Karachi police chief’s office a day earlier and said that “mutual trust, will of the people and synergy between all stakeholders” are necessary to overcome the challenge imposed by terrorism.