Two KMC officials shot dead, one critically injured in suspected ‘terror attack’ on fire station in Karachi

Two officials of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) fire brigade department were shot dead while a third was critically injured in Korangi in early hours of Saturday.

East Zone Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Muquddus Haider said that a pair of suspects riding a motorbike arrived at the fire brigade office around 2am, woke up four of the employees and began firing at them. As a result, he said, three KMC officials sustained bullet injuries while the fourth managed to escape.

DIG Haider said the suspects had helmets on, did not remove them during the incident and fled the scene.

The DIG said the injured were transferred to Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre where doctors pronounced two of them dead on arrival while the third was admitted for treatment.

DIG Haider said the police were probing the incident from every possible angle and investigators had invoked terror charges in the first information report.

A statement from the Awami Colony police spokesperson said that Amir, 55, and Mehboob, 35, were gunned down. At the same time, Irshad Rehmatullah, 30, was injured by the firing of two unknown suspects inside the Fire Brigade office at Korangi’s Bilal Chowrangi.

Meanwhile, Korangi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Faisal Bashir Memon said the police were not ruling out the possibility of terrorism behind the incident for two reasons.

Memon said the suspects had asked the employees to form a line and recite Kalima before opening fire. He added that two of the four officials died on the spot while the other two attempted to flee. The suspects opened fire on the fleeing officials from behind, resulting in injuries to one while the other escaped unhurt.

SSP Memon said the police had also sought the help of the Counter-Terrorism Department to probe possible elements of terrorism behind the incident. He said all victims were firemen, who were there to respond to any emergency or fire incident in the area.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference, Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab addressed the incident and said the injured employee was moved to an intensive care unit.

“The incident is being probed,” Wahab said. He termed the incident a “terror attack” and vowed to bring the culprits to justice.