KARACHI: Three suspected militants were shot dead in an ‘encounter’ in the militancy-infested area of Sohrab Goth on Sunday, bringing the death toll to more than 12 militants within the past three days, demonstrating an intensification of the targeted operation in Karachi following the launch of the military operation in North Waziristan, the officials said.

Acting on a tip-off, the police raided a suspected hideout of militants in Sohrab Goth.

On seeing the police, the alleged militants attacked the law enforcement agencies personnel with guns and grenades, damaging a police mobile of the Sohrab Goth DSP, Additional Inspector General of Police of Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo said.

In retaliation, the police gunned down three suspects, who appeared to be foreigners belonging to the banned the Tehreek Taliban Pakistan, he added. The police also detained 10 suspects, including a few foreigners, and found explosive material and arms and ammunition at the crime scene.

Sohrab Goth SHO Shoaib Ahmed told Dawn that contingents of the Malir police raided an alleged hideout of militants in Pioneer Homes off the Superhighway at around 2pm.

The police had received secret information that militants were hiding in a bungalow whose door was locked from outside.

He said that the suspects, whose number was stated to be 12-13, opened fire on the police in their bid to flee. The police retaliated and after a fierce gun battleshot dead three alleged militants while the others managed to escape.

The bodies were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

According to a hospital official, the deceased were aged between 30 and 35 years. One deceased received eight bullet wounds on different parts of his body while the two others sustained four bullet wounds each. Their identity could not be ascertained immediately.

The police claimed to have seized 20 kilograms explosive material, two kilograms explosive material in ready position, four hand-grenades, one rifle, one 9mm pistol, one 30-bore pistol, one motorcycle and other ammunition.

The city police chief told Dawn that in the wake of the military operation against militants in North Waziristan and a possible threat to law and order in Karachi, the law-enforcement agencies had adopted a three-pronged strategy to meet any eventuality in the provincial capital.

Security had been enhanced at all vital installations, particularly establishments belonging to the police, Rangers and armed forces, who could be the prime target of the militants, he added.

Secondly, the rapid response force comprising 40 highly-trained police commandoes was established at zonal level of Karachi, who would respond to any emergency situation. Thirdly, Ghulam Qadir Thebo added, “previously, we were defensive, but now we are offensive against the militants.” As part of the ‘offensive strategy,’ ‘targeted operation’ had been launched in militancy-infested areas of Karachi “to keep militants on the run so that they would not be in a position to attack”.

Therefore, over the past three days, more than a dozen suspected militants had been killed in the metropolis during different encounters, added the city police chief.

He admitted that threat or retaliation from the Taliban could not be ruled out.

In fact, he added that suspected militants on Saturday had targeted a police checkpoint in Gulshan-i-Maymar with explosive material. The post was destroyed along with a parked motorcycle of a policeman.

Replying to a question, Mr Thebo said that they had received intelligence reports in the wake of the military operation in North Waziristan that militants in Karachi might try to create chaos and a hostage-like situation and since there was an alleged nexus between the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and the Taliban, therefore, the Shia community might be a target. However, he added that the prime target of the militants would be the police and law enforcement agencies.

Earlier on Friday morning, five suspected militants were shot dead after a fierce gun battle between the police and Rangers and militants in another militancy-infested area of Manghopir in which three Rangers personnel were also wounded.

Separately, two more militants were killed in ‘encounters’ in Kalakot area of Lyari and SITE areas of the city on same day.

On Saturday, three TTP men were shot dead in an ‘encounter’ in Steel Town by the CID police in which one kidnapped doctor of Gulshan-i-Hadeed was also recovered.

On June 18, the Pakistan Rangers Sindh killed two suspected militants in Ittehad Town and Musharraf Colony, who were allegedly involved in the killing of 10 soldiers in the tribal areas and several murders of policemen and Awami National Party activists in Karachi, officials said.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd , 2014