KARACHI: An attack on the local headquarters of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area on Saturday left three paramilitary personnel martyred and three terrorists dead, according to Sindh Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Odho.
The Sindh police chief said it had not initially been confirmed whether an explosion had also occurred. He added that the attackers rammed their vehicle into the main gate of the Rangers headquarters before launching the assault.
Odho said a mopping-up operation was underway, with the area cordoned off by Special Security Unit (SSU) commandos, the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) and Sindh Rangers personnel.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed that one injured Rangers trooper, who sustained gunshot wounds to his leg, was brought to the hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, a Reuters reporter at the scene said the exchange of fire had ended and the situation had become calm.
Earlier, heavy gunfire and an explosion were reported in the area, prompting law enforcement agencies to rush to the site.
Specialised units, including the Rapid Response Force and police commandos, were deployed to take control of the situation, while police and paramilitary personnel sealed off the surrounding area.
Rescue 1122 Sindh said it received reports of an explosion near Gulistan-i-Jauhar Block 5 and immediately dispatched emergency teams from its central command and control centre.
According to the rescue service’s spokesperson, Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh also reached the site on the directives of Chief Minister’s Adviser on Rehabilitation Gyan Chand Essrani and Rescue 1122 (Sindh) Director General Brigadier (retd) Wajid Sibghatullah.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of reports of the explosion and firing near Mosamiat Chowrangi and sought a detailed report on the incident from the relevant authorities.
According to his spokesperson, the chief minister contacted Sindh IG Javed Alam Odho and Karachi Additional Inspector General (AIG), directing them to ensure police reached the site immediately and took necessary action to determine the nature of the incident.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar also sought a detailed report from the Karachi AIG and instructed officials to submit all available information about the incident without delay, according to the Home Department.
The last major terrorist attack in Karachi occurred on October 6, 2024, when a bombing near Karachi airport killed one person and injured 11 others, including foreign nationals.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for that attack. Police registered a first information report (FIR) against BLA leaders and others three days later.
In November 2024, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar confirmed the arrest of two suspects allegedly involved in the Karachi airport attack targeting Chinese officials.
Earlier, in February 2023, terrorists attacked the Karachi Police Office on Sharea Faisal, triggering an hours-long gun battle between the attackers and security forces, including the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG), Sindh Rangers and Sindh Police.
The operation left four people martyred and 19 others injured, while all three terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed.
Pakistan’s security situation deteriorated sharply in May after two consecutive months of improvement, mainly due to an increase in terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to the latest monthly security assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).
The report stated that 128 terrorist attacks were recorded across the country in May, compared to 101 attacks in April, marking a 27 per cent increase. The surge reversed the declining trend seen during the previous two months and highlighted the continuing security challenges facing conflict-affected regions.