Two police constables were martyred on Wednesday in Shikarpur district, Sindh after unknown assailants opened fire on them. The constables, Altaf Brohi and Abdul Qadir Qallati, were off-duty and eating at a restaurant in the Garhi Taigo area when the attackers shot them before fleeing the scene. Both constables succumbed to their injuries.
Details of the Attack
The Sindh Inspector General’s (IGP) operations room confirmed the incident and stated that the bodies of the constables were taken to Shikarpur Civil Hospital. The information was later verified by Khanpur’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sagheer Ahmed Mugheeri.
Government Response and Actions
Sindh’s Home Minister, Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar, condemned the attack and called for swift action against the criminals. He directed the Senior Superintendents of Police in Kashmore and Shikarpur to provide details and vowed to take “thorough and systematic action” against the perpetrators. “The criminals who martyr police officers and their accomplices must be eliminated,” Lanjhar stated, emphasizing the intensification of targeted operations against criminal gangs.
Sindh’s Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah, expressed his grief and anger over the incident. He ordered the Larkana Deputy Inspector General of Police to arrest the suspects immediately and submit a report. Shah also instructed that all government resources be used to restore peace in the region.
Ongoing Challenges in Sindh
Organized criminal gangs have long been a problem in southern Sindh, particularly in the riverine border areas. These gangs are involved in kidnap-for-ransom activities and other criminal operations. Despite military operations launched in the 1990s to combat them, these gangs have resurfaced due to inconsistent law enforcement.
In August, a police officer was martyred, and two others were injured during an anti-bandit operation in the riverine areas. Earlier in the month, a rocket attack by dacoits on police vehicles in the Machka area resulted in 11 policemen being martyred.
