An attack on the local headquarters of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality on Saturday left three paramilitary personnel martyred and three terrorists dead, the province’s police chief said.

Speaking to Dawn, Sindh Inspector General Javed Alam Odho said that it had not initially been confirmed whether a blast had also taken place, adding that the terrorists had rammed the main gate with their vehicle.

Odho further said that a “mopping-up operation” was underway and that the area had been cordoned off by Special Security Unit (SSU) commandos, the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) and rangers personnel.

Earlier, law enforcers rushed to the locality after heavy firing and an explosion were reported in the area, according to Dawn News.

Special units, including the Rapid Response Force and police commandos, were dispatched to the scene to take control of the situation, the broadcaster said.

The general area was also cordoned off by police and paramilitary personnel.

Rescue 1122 Sindh said it had received reports of an explosion near Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 5 and immediately dispatched teams to the scene from its central command and control centre.

According to the rescue service’s spokesperson, Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh was also dispatched to the incident site on the directives of Chief Minister’s Adviser on Rehabilitation Gyan Chand Essrani and Rescue 1122 (Sindh) Director General Brig (retd) Wajid Sibghatullah.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of reports of an explosion and firing near Mosamiat Chowrangi and sought a detailed report of the incident, according to his spokesperson.

The chief minister contacted the Sindh inspector general and the Karachi additional inspector general, directing them to ensure that police immediately reached the site and took necessary action to ascertain the nature of the incident.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar also took notice of the incident in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and sought a detailed report from the additional IG. He directed that all details of the incident be submitted as soon as possible, according to the Home Department.

The last major terrorist attack in the metropolis was a raid on the Karachi Police Office on Sharea Faisal in February 2023.

An hours-long gun battle between terrorists and security forces — comprising Pakistan Army Special Service Group (SSG), Sindh Rangers and Sindh Police — left four people martyred and 19 injured. All three terrorists belonging to the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed.

After two consecutive months of improvement, Pakistan’s security situation deteriorated sharply in May, driven primarily by escalating terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to the monthly security assessment released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

According to the report, the country witnessed 128 terrorist attacks during May, compared to 101 attacks in April, representing a 27 per cent increase. The rise reversed the downward trend observed during the previous two months and underscored the persistent security challenges confronting conflict-affected regions of the country.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.