Unidentified heavily-armed militants on Friday stormed the Karachi Police chief's office in Pakistan's most populous city, leading to heavy firing between paramilitary rangers, police and the attackers, the latest brazen assault on security forces amid an uptick in terror attacks across the country.
A spokesperson of the Karachi Police confirmed in a statement that the Karachi police chief's head office had come under attack. “Firing is going on,” the statement said.
Karachi Police chief Javed Odho also confirmed in a tweet his office was under attack but said the security forces had responded strongly. According to sources, the number of terrorists involved in the attack is not confirmed.
The terrorists first threw half a dozen hand grenades into the main compound of the Karachi Police Chief's office building and then entered the premises.
Heavy firing is going on between paramilitary rangers, police and the attackers. All mobile vans in the district and area have been summoned urgently to the spot to surround the attackers, one police source said.
The Karachi Police Chief's office is located near the main artery road of Karachi which goes from downtown to the airport. No group has so far claimed the attack.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks since November when Pakistani Taliban ended a monthslong cease-fire with the government.
Last month, a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque packed with worshippers during afternoon prayers in the high-security zone in Pakistan's restive northwestern Peshawar city, killing over 100 people, mostly policemen.
Doctors at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre confirmed the death of two persons including a police constable. The Dawn, quoting Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reported that said three floors of the five-storey building have been cleared so far, adding two floors and the rooftop remained. The CM said it was too early to confirm casualties as reports were still coming in.
(With PTI inputs.)