KARACHI: A suspected drug dealer was shot dead and two policemen were wounded in an alleged encounter in Gulistan-i-Jauhar on Sunday morning.

SSP-East Dr Farrukh Raza told Dawn that acting on a tip-off the Sharea Faisal police conducted a raid on the den of drug dealers in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

He said that the criminals resorted to indiscriminate fire, resulting in bullet injuries to two policemen. The police chased the fleeing suspects and encircled them in Pehlwan Goth. Extra police contingents were called and in an ensuing exchange of gunfire, a suspected drug dealer, later identified as Samiullah, alias Mullah, was shot dead.

The SSP identified the wounded policemen as Constables Muddassir, 40, and Akbar Muzafar, 35. They were initially taken to a nearby private hospital from where they were shifted to the Aga Khan University Hospital.

The SSP said that Muddassir suffered five bullet wounds, but his condition was stated to be stable after surgery. Constable Akbar sustained a bullet wound in the left leg and his condition was also out of danger, he added.

He said that deceased Samiullah was a “most wanted drug dealer”, who had been running his den for the past 30 years.

He said that he was booked in several cases pertaining to drug trafficking and encounters with police.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Zia Lanjar said that the killed suspect was the “ringleader of the narcotics mafia”.

In a statement, he appreciated the performance of the SSP-East and his team and also directed for provision of best treatment facilities to the injured policemen.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2024