BUREAU REPORT
KARCHI: Pakistan’s security agencies foiled a terrorist attack in the morning on Monday killing all four terrorists. Four security men including a police Inspector and three guards laid their lives defending thousands of innocent officials and common citizens inside the building.
According to police , four terrorists believed to be highly trained and well equipped stormed at the main gate of the Pakistan Stock Exchange compound in Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, and unleashed a gun and grenade attack on Monday morning, minutes after work started in the building where almost 14000 people work normally.
Excellent coordination among the rangers, police and security guards deputed at security of the building, repulsed the attack killing all four terrorists.
It was a rare occasion that all the terrorists who were equipped with latest and lethal weapons including AK-47 and hand grenades, were restricted to the main gate and none of them could make it to the main compound.
According to a police statement, a sub inspector a Sub Inspector (SI) Muhammed Shahid and three security guards including Iftekhar Waheed, Hassan and Khuda Yar of a private company were martyred, while eight others, including some civilians, sustained injuries.
According to Police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi , seven bodies and seven injured, including policemen, have been brought at the Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.
Preliminary reports suggested that four terrorists, a little before 10am, came out of their vehicle and threw grenades at the compound’s entrance. They then opened fire and attempted to enter the compound but were killed by security forces.
Police and Rangers officials arrived at the scene soon after the attack and killed all four attackers, Sindh Rangers said. A clearance operation is underway in the vicinity.
“A well coordinated operation against the terrorists saved lives of thousands of people including brokers, officials and traders present inside the building,” Karachi police chief told journalists.
Police said that advanced weaponry, hand grenades and explosive material has been recovered from the terrorists’ custody. Security forces are also examining a “suspected car” parked outside PSX.
Additional inspector general of Police, Karachi has directed to tighten the security of all important offices and trading centres across the city.
Farrukh Khan, Managing Director of PSX termed the attack “unfortunate” and praised the security forces for their timely response.
While speaking to local news channel, he said the number of people in the compound was lower than normal — usually close to 6,000 — since many employees were working from home due to Covid-19.
He said that the terrorists were intercepted outside the entrance and only one of them had entered the compound, and that also “only a few steps”. None of them entered the trading hall or the building, said Khan, added that trading had not stopped and was still continuing.
Rizwan Ahmend, a police official at the scene, told journalists that ‘Energy biscuits’ and food supplies were found on the bodies of the gunmen, indicating they may have planned a long siege, which police quickly thwarted.
A wave of fear has been felt throughout Karachi City which is home to 16 million people and often known as financial hub of Pakistan.
It is still a question mark that how did the terrorists entered high security zone where most important buildings exists.
Inspector General of Sindh Police Mushtaq Mahar, immediately initiated an inquiry into the incident from the Deputy Inspector General South zone of Karachi.
Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh province condemned the incident, saying that the attack was “akin to an attack on national security and economy”.
“Anti-state elements want to take advantage of the virus situation,” he said in the statement.
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail condemned the incident, saying: “We shall protect Sindh at all costs.”
According to media reports, Balochistan Liberation Arrmy, a terrorist organization which according to Pakistani authorities, has backing of India’s Research And Analysis Wing ( RAW) took responsibility of attack.
It is worth mentioning here that, 0n 23 November 2018, an armed assault on the Chinese consulate in Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan killed four people in an hour-long shootout. Those killed were two policemen, two Pakistani civilians and the three attackers. No Chinese nationals were hurt in the attack. The three attackers were also killed.