KARACHI, Sept 17: A policeman died in an exchange of fire with unidentified armed men in Defence on Wednesday.

Police said that two policemen were patrolling at Zamzama Boulevard when they spotted suspicious men sitting in Suzuki Margalla car in front of a tea restaurant located in Lane No. 4.

As the policemen, Mohammad Siddiq and Suliman, approached the suspected car, the armed men opened fire at the police and escaped in the same vehicle. As a result, Mohammad Siddiq suffered serious bullet wounds. His partner, Suliman, returned fire at the vehicle breaking its glasses.

The injured policeman was rushed to the JPMC, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said that the policemen were patrolling in the area following a dacoity, which was committed at a shop in Badar Commercial area on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, IGP Sindh Syed Kamal Shah has given Sept 20 deadline to the SHOs of Clifton and Darakshan police stations for the apprehension of the suspected men and the recovery of vehicle used in the encounter, otherwise, the respective SHOs should consider themselves suspended and face departmental action.

The IGP said that he had received reports that before the encounter four policemen were already there and three of them did not participated in the encounter.

The IGP had also directed the TPO Clifton to identify those three policemen, who avoided the armed encounter.