Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the life attack on the policeman who was shot dead on Friday morning in the Karachi's Nazimabad area while on his way to work.

Senior Superintendent of Police Central Irfan Ali Baloch told Dawn that TTP claimed responsibility for the attack on Shakir, who was part of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) West's reserve force.

The SSP also termed the incident as a targeted attack.

The policeman was on his way to work when two unidentified men on a motorcycle opened fire at him, killing him on the spot.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and Inspector General of Police A D Khowaja, all took notice of the incident and ordered DIG West to provide them with details of the case.

Karachi operation

An ‘operation’ against criminal elements in Pakistan’s commercial hub was initiated back in September 2013 after the federal cabinet empowered Rangers to lead a targeted advance with the support of police against criminals already identified by federal military and civilian agencies for their alleged involvement in targeted killings, kidnappings for ransom, extortion and terrorism in Karachi.

A high-level apex committee meeting chaired by then chief of army staff Raheel Sharif on May 14, 2015 decided to implement effective policing and surveillance in the "vast suburbs of Karachi", to prevent what the military spokesperson said were "sneaking terrorist attacks".

Amid resentment and criticism from certain political circles over the ‘Karachi operation’, the military establishment in August 2015 said that there would be no let-up in actions by law enforcement agencies “to ensure a peaceful and terror-free Karachi”.

Although terror-related incidents have been reduced up to 60 per cent in the years since the commencement of the Karachi operation, according to police, sleeper cells of terror outfits still exist in the metropolis and law enforcers have been making concerted efforts to eliminate the same.