KARACHI: Two policemen deployed for the security of the Ismaili community’s residential complex were shot dead at a checkpoint in the Sachal area on Saturday noon, according to officials.

Police constables Ali Raza, 50, and Ghulam Jaffer, 46, were targeted at the checkpoint set up outside Jeewani Heights, off the Superhighway, by four armed motorcyclists, said Gadap SP Chaudhry Saifullah.

The attackers also took away their official weapons, the officer said.

Both policemen were rushed to the nearby Dow varsity hospital where doctors declared constable Ali Raza dead on arrival, said Sohrab Goth DSP Khalid Khan. He added that the other constable, Ghulam Jaffer, who sustained gunshot wounds in the head died during treatment later in the evening.

According to the police, constable Ali Raza was posted at Sachal police station some four months ago. He was a resident of Bhitaiabad and originally hailed from Pano Aqil. Constable Ghulam Jaffer was posted at the Sachal police station about six months ago. He was a resident of Sachal Goth and originally belonged to Kotdiji.

With the murder of the two police officials, the number of policemen killed in the city during the current year reached 80, said a police spokesperson.

‘Eighty police officials have been killed in Karachi so far this year’

The police investigators said all the attackers wore helmets. Three of them were clad in shalwar kameez while their accomplice wore a shirt with trousers, the officials said.

The Gadap SP believed that the attack was carried out in a way that the policemen could not get a chance to retaliate.

“The picket was set up at a sensitive place,” said additional inspector general of police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar while talking to the media at the crime-scene.

Mr Mahar, who visited the crime-scene along with Karachi-East DIG Munir Ahmed Shaikh, did not specify the nature of the area’s sensitivity.

Police sources said some police posts were established in the vicinity to keep a strict watch on criminals and to protect the community in the area after the May 13 targeted attack on their bus in which over 45 Ismaili community members were shot dead.

DSP Khan confirmed to Dawn that the police picket was set up for the protection of Ismaili community members as they resided in Jeewani Heights.

“There should have been at least four policemen at the picket,” said the city police chief. But the SHO concerned displayed ‘negligence’ by deploying only two policemen there. He said there was also negligence on the part of the officer that the policemen had not been provided with bulletproof jackets.

Asked as to how bulletproof jackets could have protected them when hitmen shot the policemen in the head, the police chief said the Sindh government had been asked for the procurement of light-weight bulletproof helmets as the old ones were heavy.

About the unabated killing of policemen despite the Rangers-led targeted operation in Karachi for the past two years, additional IG Mahar said the city that had been in the grip of violence for the past three decades could not be purged of criminals within just one or two years.

He added that the killing of the policemen might be a reaction to the ongoing operation against the criminals. About the latest killing of the two policemen, he said the attackers used 0.9mm pistol and 30-bore pistol in the attack and took away official weapons. He said the police investigators later collected 14 spent bullet casings from the crime-scene.

He said a forensic report might help the police investigators to identify the group involved in the deadly attack and to determine if the same weapons were used in other murder cases.

Following the killings, the police launched a search operation in surrounding areas. “We searched homes and flats in surrounding areas but no one was detained as we don’t want to arrest innocent persons,” said the Sohrab Goth DSP.

Meanwhile, the DIG East suspended and reverted Sachal SHO and head mohrrir on charges of negligence.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2015