KARACHI: The audacity of street criminals in the city can be gauged from the fact that even law enforcers are not safe from them as out of six policemen killed so far this year, four were targeted by robbers.

With the recent killing of Constable Shabbir Ahmed, who was shot dead allegedly by a robber near UBL Sports Complex on Rashid Minhas Road a day earlier, the number of policemen gunned down in the metropolis has risen to six so far this year while four of the killings were believed to be carried out by street criminals, said Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) DIG Asif Ejaz Shaikh.

DIG Shaikh said the killing of a policeman in Sohrab Goth and that of DSP Ali Raza of the CTD were being probed by the counter-terrorism officials.

He said they had come to the conclusion that the killing of Constable Mohammed Yaseen and wounding of another, Salman Abbasi, in an armed attack on their post near the Jamali Bridge off Motorway-9 on June 3, 2024 was an outcome of targeted killing, adding that the investigation showed that a banned group was involved in it.

Four policemen killed by street criminals; two others shot dead in targeted attacks so far this year, officers say

He said the killing of DSP Ali Raza was still being probed and they believed that it was also caused by a targeted attack.

DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch expressed similar views and said the murder of Constable Shabbir appeared to be a robbery-related incident and that three other policemen were also shot dead by dacoits over snatching of weapons or resistance.

He recalled that Constable Mohammed Yusuf was also shot dead by dacoits over snatching of official submachine gun on July 19 at Water Pump flyover. Two suspects involved in the killing, Shaukat Nawaz and Zafar Hameed, were gunned down in an ‘encounter’ on July 27, he added.

He said the killed suspects originally hailed from Muzaffargarh.

They were street criminals who used to take a female accomplice along on their bikes to avoid being arrested.

City police chief reviews policemen’s killing cases

Separately, Additional IGP Karachi Javed Odho held a meeting to review killings of policemen in the metropolis and directed officers to chalk out a comprehensive strategy for elimination of crime, said a police spokesperson.

Constable Shabbir Ahmed, who was posted in the investigation wing of district Central, was laid to rest on Thursday. His funeral prayers were held at the West Zone police office and attended by the IGP Sindh, Addl IGP Karachi, DIG-West and other senior officers.

Speaking about the incident, IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon vowed that the culprits involved in the killing would be taken to task.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2024