Karachi - Law-enforcers have almost vanished from the city following the frequent attacks against the police and rangers by terrorists who are seeking revenge for the killing of their associates in the targeted operation in Karachi.
As many as 92 policemen have so far been killed since the start of intelligence based targeted operation against the criminals five months ago on September 5 last year. At least 50 law enforcers were killed in targeted killing and bomb blasts in the ongoing year alone.
Rangers have vanished from the city screen after they were attacked a couple of days ago in Nazimabad. Three Rangers personnel were martyred in that attack. Similarly, the police personnel – who had already been directed to move in at least two vans guarding each other during patrol and snap checking – have been terrified after Thursday’s blast at Razaqabad Police Training Centre that killed 13 cops and wounded dozens other.
The areas of District West and District Malir considered as the strongholds of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). A police station there remained locked for 24 hours. Police officials wished to be anonymous revealed that the law enforces were now focusing on catching the target and sectarian killers hiding in the political folds than encountering the hardened terrorists affiliated with militant outfits.
Sources said that police avoided hitting the TTP and their allies even during the targeted operation. Even slain CID SP Chudhary Aslam Khan, the most active encounter specialist, would not go for a hot pursuit of the members of TTP or its affiliated groups. Every terrorist killed by SP Khan was owned by TTP only after his killing and it was then the police would know the connection. The Taliban felt the fire especially when allegedly security forces dumped seven shot dead bodies of TTP operatives.
A police official said that numerous top cops, considered experts in counter terrorism and sectarian cases, have tendered apology to the Taliban and assured TTP high command that no further terrorist affiliated with TTP would be arrested. Rest of the cops were half heartedly working for the department and staying out of their respective areas most of the time.
Another factor of demoralisation is that heirs of at least half of the police martyrs have so far not been given their legal financial benefits or compensations, the police official said. He alleged that top officers were trying to hush up many cases even though “we have the capability to deal with the terrorists”. If the priority of operation have had been set right by the high ups in the start, police would have removed most of the sanctuaries of terrorists in Karachi, he added.
The official pointed out that government and security high ups called the increase in the killing of security personnel a reaction of targeted operation, though operation was “not aimed to eliminate terrorist”. When tried to contact for knowing his response, City police chief Shahid Hayat did not pick up the phone.