TTP claims responsibility for year’s first target killing

KARACHI: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed the responsibility for the targeted attack near North Nazimabad’s Landi Kotal Chowrangi that took place on Friday morning, claiming the life of a police constable.

According to senior superintendent of police central Irfan Ali Baloch, TTP has claimed responsibility for the attack on Shakir Ahmad who was a part of the DIG west’s reserve force.

Police officials had said that two unidentified men riding a motorcycle, with their helmets on, shot dead the constable. Shakir was en route to the Gulberg Police Station to begin his shift when he was attacked. He was shot in the head and died on the spot.

Central SSP Rizwan Baloch said two 9mm shells have been recovered from the scene of the crime.

Shortly after media reported the incident, Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah, home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and Sindh inspector general police A.D. Khawaja sought a report of the firing from the deputy inspector general west.

The incident marks the year’s first targeted attack against police in the city and follows a deadly year of attacks against policemen in the metropolis, in which over a dozen officials were killed in the line of duty.