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Traffic DSP, driver martyred in targeted attack in Azizabad,Karachi

August 11, 2017

KARACHI, Aug 11 (INP) Two officials of the traffic police were martyred in the line of duty in Azizabad, the bastion of MQM(London) Altaf Hussain on Friday morning. Rescue sources said unidentified attackers opened fire on the official vehicle of the Liaqatabad deputy superintendent of police in Azizabad locality of the city. As a result, DSP Mohammad Hanif and his driver/gunman Sultan died on the spot. Investigators said the attackers, said to be two in number and riding a motorcycle, fired at the police vehicle from the front. Sources said they likely unloaded several magazines of a 9mm pistol as over a dozen shells were collected from the crime scene. DIG West Zulfiqar Larik confirmed that two attackers riding a motorcycle carried out the attack. The bodies of DSP Hanif and the driver, constable Sultan, were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Soon after the incident, police and other law enforcement personnel reached the scene and started an investigation after collecting evidence. Expressing grief over the incident, Sindh Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal sought a report into the killings from the additional inspector general. The home minister directed that security be kept on high alert in the metropolis and efforts be made to arrest the attackers soon. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh A.D. Khawaja also sought a detailed inquiry report into the incident from deputy inspector general - west. Azizabad is the bastion of MQM(London) leader Altaf Hussain. His House had been turned into headquarters of MQM before he fled to London. Later the MQM headquarter was sealed by the law enforcement agencies after his anti Pakistani speech and asking supporters to attack media houses in Karachi. MQM(Pakistan) is trying to get the headquarter unsealed to resume activities from there. However officials said the latest incident indicate that the supporters of Altaf Hussain would still present in Azizabad. Meanwhile nine suspects were arrested and 15 detained during search operations conducted late Thursday night in various areas of the metropolis, police officials said. Three suspects were taken into custody during an operation carried out in the city's Saudabad area, police stated, adding that weapons and contraband have been recovered from them. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Thursday night was involved in an encounter near Bagh-e-Korangi, resulting in the arrest of one suspect, while another managed to flee, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Munir Shaikh said. The detained suspect was injured during the exchange of gunfire, the police official said, adding that he belongs to a political party and has been involved in cases of target killing. Police added that weapons were seized from the arrestee. INP/AH