KARACHI: A policeman was shot dead in a suspected targeted attack in the Khairabad area of Manghopir on Saturday.

Police said that Constable Imran, who was posted at the Manghopir police station, was on a motorcycle when three assailants, also riding a motorbike, opened indiscriminate fire on him at Amn Chowk. He suffered critical bullet wounds and was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

He was in uniform and posted for the security of the annual gathering of the Tableeghi Jamaat in the area.

Investigators had collected seven spent bullet casings from the crime scene.

During the initial probe, it had transpired that the assailants had chased him.

DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch told Dawn that it appeared to be an incident of targeted killing but the exact motive was being ascertained. He said the police had lately conducted raids against criminals in the area and the killing might be a reaction by them.

While a militant group had claimed responsibility for the murder on social media, the DIG ruled out the possibility of involvement of banned outfits in the incident. “I think it’s fake,” he opined.

Counter-Terrorism Department’s Raja Umer Khattab also said that the claim appeared to be fake as the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan did not issue any such statement.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2025