By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: A group of armed militants attacked Karachi police headquarters on Friday, as paramilitary troops and police rushed to stave off the attack in the city’s high security zone amid an uptick in terror targets across the country.
Police said unidentified heavily-armed militants stormed the city’s police chief’s office, leading to heavy firing between paramilitary rangers, police and the attackers.
A spokesperson of the Karachi Police confirmed in a statement that the Karachi police chief’s head office had come under attack. “Firing is going on,” the spokesman said.
Witnesses said the terrorists first threw half a dozen hand grenades into the main compound of the Police Chief’s office building and then entered the premises.
The Pakistani Taliban in a brief statement claimed responsibility for the assault.
“Our Mujahideen martyrs have attacked the Karachi Police Office. More details to follow,” a spokesman for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan said in a WhatsApp message to the media.
The attack comes weeks after a suspected Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque packed with worshippers during afternoon prayers in the high-security zone in northwestern Peshawar city, killing over 100 people, mostly policemen.
Police sealed off traffic on the main thoroughfare through the city and heavy contingents of security forces, including paramilitary rangers, had arrived at the scene.
TV footage showed security forces surrounding the city’s central police station. Residents said heavy gunfire and explosions were heard outside the compound.
The compound is home to several police buildings and the residences of officers.
A spokesperson for the Sindh Rangers said initial estimates suggest there are eight to ten “armed terrorists”.
In a statement, the spokesperson said a brigadier of the counter-terrorism force is leading the operation, adding that Rangers were working on clearing the fourth floor.
Three floors of the five-storey building have been cleared so far, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told a local television channel. Two floors and the rooftop remained.
Shah said he had received information that two terrorists had been killed so far but said that he could not give any confirmation at this time.
Ghulam Nabi Memon, police chief for the Sindh province, two of the attackers were killed.
Sindh spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said one policeman and one civilian had been killed. Three Rangers personnel, two policemen and one civilian had been injured.
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