Attack on police is cowardly act, says CM

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KARACHI: Pakistani paramilitary soldiers cordon off the attack site. At least seven policemen, deployed to guard polio-eradication teams, were killed and three others injured when gunmen opened fire at them. INP/XINHUA PHOTO

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that the attack on policemen providing security to polio workers is a cowardly act. He directed the DG Rangers and IG police to launch a vigorous operation against the terrorist who killed seven policemen and bring them to justice.

The chief minister said this while presiding over a high-level meeting on Wednesday after the Orangi incident in which terrorists killed seven policemen who were providing security to the polio workers. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Sohail Siyal, DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar, Principal Secretary Alamuddin Bullo, IGP Sindh AD Khwaja, Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher.

IGP AD Khwaja briefed the chief minister and said that he rushed to the spot where the incident took place and got the bodies shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The DG Rangers also reached there. The police and Rangers cordoned off the area and started operation to arrest the terrorist who killed the policemen.

“They killed policemen and hit them in their heads. Not a single polio worker was attacked. This shows that the attack was actually aimed at the police,” he said.

DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar also briefed the chief minister about his visit to the spot and his assessment.

The chief minister directed the DG Rangers and IGP to arrest the killers by using all resources. “I am approving Rs 5 million reward for the person who will give information about the killers,” he said, and also announced Rs 2 million for the heirs of each and every killed policeman and two jobs for their heirs according to their qualification.

He also directed the IGP to continue releasing salaries of the killed policemen till the age of their retirement. “I would say that count them as your on-service force and keep their salaries as they are and add annual increments in their salaries like the salaries of other employees and also give them benefit of enhancement, if and when announced by the government.”

The chief minister also directed the IGP to provide necessary facilities to shift the bodies of the policemen to their respective native villages. The chief minister said that the sacrifices of policemen who laid their lives in line of their duties would not go in vain.