KARACHI: Two suspected militants and as many alleged gangsters were killed in shootouts with the police and Sindh Rangers on Saturday as the surge in encounters mainly led by the paramilitary force left at least 11 suspects dead in two days with most of them allegedly associated with banned organisations, officials said.

While the law enforcement agencies claimed that the recent surge in encounters was the result of ‘offensive posture’ adopted in the wake of a consistent terror threat intensified after the Peshawar school attack, rights activists did not see the situation producing any sustainable results with a such heavy-handed policy.

In Lyari, the officials said, the Rangers conducted raids in the early hours of the day in areas along Fida Hussain Sheikha Road within the jurisdiction of the Kalri police station when they came under attacks.

“The armed men in hideouts attacked personnel of the law-enforcement agency when they were busy taking positions following a tip-off about presence of gangsters in the area,” said an official.

“The shootouts left two of them dead, who were later identified as Tahir, alias Bandhari, and Salman, alias shooter. We have also recovered arms and ammunition from their possession.”

In an early morning raid in the Mauripur area two suspected militants met the same fate.

The officials said that the anti-extremism cell of the crime investigation department (CID) raided a hideout near Chawal Godam in Mauripur. However, they added that the armed men inside the hideout attacked personnel of the law enforcement agency, which triggered firing from both sides.

“The attack triggered strong reaction from the police,” said the spokesman for the CID anti-extremism cell headed by SP Ali Raza. “The exchange of gunfire left two militants dead, who have not yet been identified. We believe that at least three militants managed to run away during the shootout. Initial findings suggest that the deceased were associated with the Khan Zaman group of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. We have also seized an assault AK-47 rifle and a 9mm pistol from them.”

Only on Friday the Sindh Rangers claimed to have killed seven ‘militants’ in two shootouts.

In the first encounter, four suspected militants belonging to the banned TTP, including its Karachi chief, were killed in the Musharraf Colony area.

Later in the night, the paramilitary force acting on a tip-off conducted a raid on an alleged hideout of terrorists in the Ghaghar Phatak area, Steel Town, during which they came under attack, ensuing firing from both sides in which three militants were killed.

“We have adopted an offensive posture considering the level of threat and learning from the Peshawar attack,” said additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo. “We have decided not to give any space and time to militants to respond. Since the targeted operation is already under way, after the Peshawar attack we have enhanced intelligence gathering, increased search exercise and number of raids, which ultimately have resulted into higher number of encounters and killings of militants.”

Concerned about the trend, rights activists expressed doubts about the claims of law enforcement agencies, saying that with such an approach the desired results might not be achieved any time soon.

“Credibility of such encounters is always doubtful,” said Zohra Yusuf of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). “Against the backdrop of the Peshawar attack, the way the government and our security administration responded could be described as emotional which allowed hanging of convicts and higher number of raids and killing of suspected militants in encounters. Actually what we need to do is to focus on long-term sustainable results. With these encounters, over which there is a serious question mark, we cannot achieve credible and sustainable results.”

Published in Dawn December 21th , 2014

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...