KARACHI, March 29: Officials of the Intelligence Bureau working on counterterrorism operations have been advised to keep a low profile following Thursday’s targeted killing of its two operatives.

Sources said the incident had set alarm bells ringing in the federal intelligence and espionage agency that is also responsible for strategic and foreign intelligence, as well as counter-espionage and domestic affairs.

A senior IB official, who wished not to be named, told Dawn that the standard operational procedure was already being strictly followed by the agency’s officials across the board.

Meanwhile, Preedy police registered a case against two unknown assailants for killing IB Inspector Ibrahim and SI Fazal.

The SP of investigation police, Niaz Ahmed Khoso, said that sketches of the attackers had been drawn with the help of witnesses.

He said the slain intelligence officers were linked with the investigation and detection of the Allama Hasan Turrabi murder case, the Nistar Park bomb blast case and the Marriot Hotel bomb blast case. “It could be a reaction of the group involved in these cases,” he said.

The SP said that initial reports suggested that the assailants had intercepted the victims and shot them. “According to eye-witnesses, the motorbike of the victims was still moving when the attackers intercepted them,” he added.

However, sources said Inspector Ibrahim used to frequently visit his friend who had an office close to the spot.

They said Inspector Ibrahim, who had been ordered to report to work in Dubai, did not want to go abroad and he had moved an application to this effect to his superiors.

The sources said the two slain intelligence officers were also linked with the arrest of Anver, brother of Qari Zafar, an Al-Qaeda operative wanted in several cases of terrorism.

They said the two had also raided the house of Qari Zafar in Model Colony on the lead of his arrested brother. However, the sources said, the suspect had fled the scene reportedly with an Arab national.