KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed law enforcement agencies to speed up intelligence-based operations against terrorists in the city.

“The attempt to attack the Chinese consulate general shows that still there are abettors of terrorists in the city,” he said while presiding over a special meeting on law and order here at the CM House on Friday.

The CM directed the inspector general of police (IGP) to investigate the incident like the police had previously investigated some other high-profile cases including the Safoora bus carnage so that the abettors of terrorists in the city could be eliminated.

The CM questions why heavily armed militants were not checked anywhere in city

He also directed the IGP to conduct a security audit of all the diplomatic missions/consulates and install most sensitive CCTV cameras in the vicinities of the foreign missions.

The meeting was attended by CM’s Adviser Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Dr Kaleem Imam, Home Secretary Kazi Kabir, Commissioner Iftikhar Shalwani, Karachi police chief Dr Amir Shaikh, representatives of Pakistan Rangers, provincial heads of intelligence agencies and representative of the army’s Corps 5.

He said that after the recent bomb blast in Quaidabad Friday’s attack was the second such incident in the city.

He said that the heavily armed militants must have stayed somewhere in the city and travelled from their place to Clifton. He questioned why they were not checked anywhere.

“This shows that our snap-checking system needs to be more effective and strict,” he said, directing the city police chief to ensure snap checking of vehicles in the city.

Briefing the CM, the IGP said: “On Nov 23, at about 9.30am unknown armed terrorists armed with heavy weapons and grenades attacked the Chinese Consulate General near the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, in Block-4 Clifton. The Sindh police’s special security unit and Rangers reached the scene and killed all three terrorists. Two civilians died, one private security guard was wounded. All were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.”

The chief minister directed the IGP to get the incident investigated properly. “This must be worked out as the police have worked out high-profile cases like Safoora carnage and others,” he said.

The chief minister was told that the Clifton police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) were investigating the case.

The CM directed the IGP to look after the families of the slain policemen, who valiantly laid down their lives in the line of duty.

He also asked to make necessary arrangements for shifting of the bodies of the two civilians to their native town in Balochistan.

Funeral prayers

The chief minister, governor, chief secretary, corps commander, DG Rangers and senior police officers offered funeral prayers for the martyred policemen at police’s headquarters in Garden.

The IG announced “bravery award” for both martyred policemen.

Martyr ASI Ashraf Dawood, father of three children, was a resident of Lyari, while martyr constable Mohammad Amir, father of two children, was a resident of Neelum Colony in Clifton.

The CM met with their family members and assured them that they would not be left alone. “The provincial government will look after you properly, you are not alone ... we are with you,” he told the aggrieved family members.

Visit to Chinese CG

Following the attack on the Chinese consulate, the CM spoke to Consul General Wang Yu and asked him about his well-being.

He also rushed to the spot and met with Mr Wang and his staff. He told them that the security was enough to thwart the attack.

“As soon as the incident was reported to me I got in touch with the IGP and Rangers DG and remained in constant touch with them until they controlled the situation,” he told the consul general.

The consul general of China thanked the chief minister for his prompt action and also lauded the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in controlling the situation.

Woman police officer appreciated

The IGP also briefed the CM and the diplomat about the incident.

He said that it was Clifton SHO and SP Suhai Aziz who reached the spot and fought bravely with terrorists. After them, SSP Tariq Dharejo reached the scene and by the time Rangers also arrived there they had killed all the three terrorists, he added.

The CM called SP Suhai and appreciated her for taking a prompt action.

“Our women are brave and can stand shoulder to shoulder with men,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018