Karachi—A suicide car bomber flattened the house of a senior
counter-terrorism police officer in Pakistan’s financial capital Karachi
on Monday, killing eight people including six policemen. The blast left
a crater 10 feet (3 meters) deep, police said.
The six
policemen were guarding the home of Karachi’s Senior Superintendent of
Police Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam, who survived the attack. A woman and a
child were among those killed in the blast. Police said 300 kg (136 lbs)
of explosives were used. Aslam told reporters that he has received
threats from militant groups, including Pakistani Taliban insurgents,
who are close to al-Qaeda. “I was sleeping when they carried out this
cowardly act and rammed a vehicle packed with explosives into my house,”
said Aslam at the scene of the blast. “I will not be cowed down. I will
teach a lesson to generations of militants,” he said.
The
attack took place in the Defence Phase 8 locality of the city, a posh
area that has been rarely plagued by violence. Several houses in the
neighbourhood were severely damaged while at least a dozen vehicles were
destroyed. The death toll from the blast would have been higher had it
taken place a few minutes later when many children would head for
schools located in the area.
Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed
responsibility for the attack. Monday’s attack was the fourth since
April in the heavily guarded Defence neighbourhood, where a navy bus was
bombed, grenades thrown at the Saudi consulate and a Saudi diplomat
also killed. After a powerful deadly suicide attack on CID Building, in
November 2011, many police officers especially those involved in fight
against terrorism were constantly receiving threats from the terrorists
in Karachi.
According to police sources, the secret agencies
warned in their reports that many key police officers including SSP
Farooq Awan, SSP Fayaz Khan, SSP Chaudhry Aslam, SSP Raja Umar Khatab
and SSP Mazhar Mashwani are on the hit list of the terrorists. Many
other high officials of the CID were also being threatened constantly
and after one month of the suicide attack on the CID building, a CD was
sent by the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban showing planning for attacking on
CID building, training of the attackers and few other visuals. The CD
also showed threats of targeting SSP Chaudhry Aslam, Fayaz Khan, Mazhar
Mashwani and Raja Umar Khatab.
The assault broke a lull in
militant violence in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city that is home to
ports, the main stock exchange and central bank. “My daughter was
preparing to go to school when all of a sudden the explosion occurred.
My daughter started crying and I ran out of house to see what has
happened,” said Mohammad Imran, one of Aslam’s neighbours. “I saw a
cloud of smoke rising in the sky. Our children are traumatized. Our
families are disturbed. There is no security.” The blast left an
eight-foot crater and much of Aslam’s house was destroyed. Cement
blocks, cars parts, broken chairs and pieces of shattered beds were
strewn at the scene.
According to IG Sindh Wajid Durrani, at
least 300 kilograms of explosives were used in the attack. Aslam who is
tasked with tackling militancy in Karachi was not hurt and vowed to
continue his action against militants. Aslam is a well-known police
officer who led many high-profile raids on everyone from suspected al
Qaeda cells in safe houses to some of Karachi’s most hardened criminals.
A mother and her son were among the eight victims of the
suicide attack in the DHA Phase 8. Eight-year-old Moeed who was referred
to as Sonu had a very special bond with his mother. A bond, which had
been further strengthened after his parents, parted ways. Mumtaz was
also very close to her son and this was the reason why Moeed was
studying at the same school where his mother was teaching. Mooed’s
family members say that he would not go anywhere without his mother but
they were not expecting what transpired on Monday in Karachi.
It may be mentioned here that Interior Ministry had sent a letter three
weeks ago warning the Sindh government of attacks on Chaudhry Aslam and
at sensitive areas. The letter warned of attacks in Karachi on the 18
and 19 of September between 6 and 10 am. The letter was drafted
following information received by the Interior Ministry from security
agencies warning of terrorist attacks. The letter sent on August 27
stated that suicide bombers were present in Karachi and were looking to
target offices of security agencies, foreign consulate staff, religious
locations and police officers that were tackling terrorism. The letter
also mentioned Chaudhry Aslam and the names of other officials.
Karachi
Police Chief Saud Mirza has formed an investigation team to probe the
suicide attack in the DHA. The team will include officials from the CIA,
SIU and CID. According to sources, initial investigations reveal that
the attacker was 20 years old and was riding in a white colour pick-up
truck. Talking to a foreign news agency Qari Nusrat, a spokesman of
outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, said a suicide bomber of the
militant group attacked the police officer’s house in Karachi.
News Source: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=115120
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