Karachi Police Office attack mastermind gunned down in encounter

The mastermind of the February 17 terror attack on the Karachi Police Office (KPO) and his accomplice were killed during an encounter, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said on Monday, Geo News reported.

Iriadullah, the mastermind behind the attack, was gunned down after the CTD acted on a tip-off near the Northern Bypass in the Manghopir area of the metropolis, Geo News reported.

The two terrorists, including the mastermind, were killed during an exchange of fire, while two others were arrested, the CTD officials said.

Iriadullah, according to the CTD, was a commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Karachi, while the second terrorist killed was identified as Abdul Waheed.

Last month, three terrorists with suicide jackets entered the multi-storey KPO building. In the hours-long operation that followed, police commandos and paramilitary soldiers cleared the building.

The attack began at 7.10 pm on February 17, while police and Rangers personnel cleared the five-story building in phases, finally sweeping the entire office by around 10.46 pm.

All the three terrorists were killed in the operation and four persons, including two policemen and a Sindh Rangers sub-inspector, also died in the nerve-racking operation that lasted for more than four hours.

As per Geo News, at least 17 other people, including police and Rangers personnel, were also injured in the terror attack, which occurred after a deadly suicide attack at a Peshawar Civil Lines mosque that left at least 85 dead.

DIG East Muqadas Haider, DIG South Ifran Baloch, DIG Rapid Response Force (RRF) Nasir Aftab, Special Security Unit (SSU) and Sindh Rangers had participated in the tense operation. The Pakistan Army had also assisted the law enforcers.

A case was later registered against the TTP at a CTD police station.

( With inputs from ANI )

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