ISLAMABAD: A policeman was murdered and another injured by a gang of robbers in the capital on Monday.

Constables Mohammad Arif and Mohammad Waseem were stationed in I-8 for patrolling duty, the police said.

The capital was on high alert on Monday due to it being New Year ’s Eve and all entry and exit points as well as markets and parks were under security cover, with over 1,000 personnel deployed, as announced by the police on Sunday.

Four armed men had raided a house in I-8/3, adjacent to Kachnar Park and held the residents at gunpoint. One of the robbers was stationed outside to keep check and alert his accomplices if they see anyone approaching.

In the meantime, the two constables drove into the street on their motorcycle. The robber on look-out started firing at the constables and hearing the commotion, his accomplices also came out and opened fire on the two men.

Both the constables sustained bullet injuries, with Mohammad Waseem receiving bullet to the head.

Some of the neighbours called Rescue 15 and soon after, all the patrolling units, teams deployed at entry points and the Industrial Area police were informed about the incident.

The robbers jumped the wall at the back of the house they were robbing, were able to hijack a motorcycle a few streets over and escape.

The area police and senior police officers reached the site and moved the injured policemen to the hospital where Waseem was pronounced dead while Arif is said to be in critical condition.

Mohammad Waseem’s funeral was conducted at the Police Lines Headquarters and was attended by officers of the capital police as well as the minister of state for interior.

Superintendent of Police Industrial Area Sumera Azam was not available for comment and Station House Officer Industrial Area Inspector Ghulam Mustafa refused to comment.

This is the fifth armed robbery in the last few days in which the robbers have either injured the police or the people they were robbing.

Last week, an Afghan national, Gul Zaman was killed during a robbery in Taramri and on the same day, robbers fired at a police patrolling team in I-10/1 when the gunmen were looting one Haris Mehmood.

A security guard, Abdul Rauf was shot by robbers in DHA Phase V while Gul Zaib was stabbed during a robbery in his house in I-14/4.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2019