- Karachi CID SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan targeted in roadside bombing by Taliban
- Two bodyguards also killed while 11 others left seriously injured
- Sindh CM announces Rs 20m compensation, house and two govt jobs for famed and feared police officer’s family
Pakistan’s toughest police officer, Karachi Crime Investigation Department (CID) Superintendent of Police (SP) Chaudhry Aslam was killed in a Taliban bombing near Essa Nagri at the Lyari Expressway on Thursday, dealing a deadly blow to the already demoralised law enforcement and security agencies of the country.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who had also carried out an attack on Aslam’s house in 2011, claimed responsibility for the blast.
Shortly after the attack on Thursday, TTP spokesperson in Mohmand, Sajjad Mohmand, told various media outfits that the group has carried out a “successful” attack to take revenge for several Taliban members killed by the Karachi police.
“Chaudhry Aslam was involved in killing Taliban prisoners in the CID cells. He was on the top of our hit-list,” Mohmand was reported as saying.
The brave and gallant police officer had earlier survived nine assassination attempts and had been injured five times in the line of duty during his career.
The fearless police officer had 29 years of experience behind him, and ran an elaborate intelligence network across Karachi’s complex web of alliances and bitter, bloody rivalries. Over the years, he had amassed a fortune just from gathering bounties over the dozens of militants and wanted criminals in the country.
Earlier during the day, a CID team led by Aslam conducted a raid along the Northern Bypass in the Manghopir area of Karachi and claimed to have killed three militants. A policeman also suffered injuries during the raid.
The police claimed that the killed militants belonged to TTP and they had been planning to carry out a terror attack in the city on the occasion of 8th Rabiul Awal.
Around 25 minutes after the blast, the Aga Khan University Hospital received seven other bodies of injured policemen. Farhan (27) and Kamran (34) were pronounced dead on arrival while Rehmat Ali (27), Mohammad Fayyaz (27), Hazrat Bilal (32), Mohammad Irfan (28) and Farhan Ahmed Khan (28) were critically injured.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident, adding that such attacks will not deter the morale of law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, on orders of his party chief Asif Ali Zardari, announced a compensation of Rs 20 million, two government jobs and a house for Chaudhry Aslam’s family, while a compensation of Rs 2 million each would be given to families of the two other deceased besides a plot and a government job. Those injured would receive Rs 100,000 as compensation.
NATURE OF BLAST:
Following investigations of the blast, Sindh Inspector General Shahid Nadeem Baloch said at least 20-25 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast.
The blast was so powerful that it threw the shattered wreckage of Aslam’s vehicle some 20 metres (65 feet) from where it was hit. Three police escort vehicles were also damaged by the impact of the explosion.
One of Aslam’s colleagues, senior officer Raja Umar Khatab, said it appeared the attackers had carried out a comprehensive recce in preparation for the attack.
“It seems that a suicide attacker was inside the car and waiting for Aslam’s car to arrive near him and blew or hit the car with Aslam’s vehicle,” he said.
However a police spokesman told Pakistan Today that the blast was carried out using an improvised explosive device (IED), however further investigations into the incident is underway. “Raja Umer Khattab reportedly said the blast was suicidal in nature and that he claimed to have found the head and hand of the suicide bomber. However our investigators believe it is an IED,” said the spokesman.
Eyewitnesses said that the intensity of the blast was so severe that windows of nearby buildings were shattered.
TV reports said the police had seized a yellow cab from the crime scene and also taken into custody a suspect roaming in the area. He was taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, said the reports.
The police spokesman said the TV reports about the yellow cab were part of different opinions making rounds. “The final report would come from the forensic investigators,” he added.
Chaudhry Aslam: A nightmare for terrorists
“As a Muslim, my faith says everyone has to die one day. I’m not afraid of death,” the brave and valiant police officer used to tell interviewers and colleagues.
Chaudhry Aslam joined the Karachi police force in 1987. He became an inspector and station house officer of the Kalakot Police Station in 1991 and then SHO at Gulbahar in 1994.
He was one of the few officers living who had participated in the infamous clean-up operation against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in the 1990s.
In 2011, following the attack on his house, Chaudhry Aslam was the first to get out of his house and pick up the bodies of the dead and injured.
“I will bury the attackers in the same place here,” he had said then, as he pointed to the 8 by 6 foot crater. “I will not step back. I will carry on with my jihad [against the terrorists] until the day of judgement.”
Chaudhry was a decorated Grade-18 officer and his achievements include a Pakistan Police Medal, Qauid-e-Azam Police Medal and the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz awarded by the president on March 23, 2013.