KARACHI:
Terrorists on Sunday night attacked the Old Terminal of the Karachi
Airport, a high security area, in which seven Airport Security Force
(ASF) personnel were killed while 13 security personnel were injured.
Among the dead were ASI Tariq Maqsood, PC Muntazir and PC Abdul Malik.
Also dead were a PIA official, a CAA employee and six terrorists. The
terminal is considered as a high security zone as VVIPs, including the
president and prime minister, frequently use it.
Reports claimed that three passenger aircraft and a cargo aircraft were damaged in the brazen attack.Following the attack, all flights heading for Karachi were diverted to other towns, including Nawabshah.
There was no confirmation about the strength of the terrorists, who could be up to 15 in number. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwaar Ahmed of District Malir said that the exact number of terrorists was yet to become clear.
Pakistan Army troops had been called in from Malir Cantonment while police commandos and Rangers were battling the terrorists. Sources added that large contingents of security forces had surrounded the airport and routes to the airport had been sealed.
An ISPR statement said the corps commander Karachi had arrived at the Karachi Airport and was supervising the operation.The Director General, Rangers, Maj General Rizwan Akhtar, had also reached the Karachi Airport. Moreover, Pakistan Army personnel were also called to the Karachi Airport who took up positions at sensitive points and were battling with the terrorists.
Police sources said that during the search operation at the Cargo Terminal, they had detained a suspect who might be a member of the terrorist group and was shifted by the law enforcers to an undisclosed location for investigation.
During the gunbattle, six terrorists were killed, reports said. A number of fires were also visible at the airport and there was the sound of frequent explosions and firing. Sources said the passengers and other people at the Jinnah Terminal were safe and there was no threat to them. Reports said Amir Liaquat Hussain, Farooq Sattar and Murad Ali Shah were stranded at the Jinnah Terminal.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had also reached the airport to oversee the operation.The CAA authorities had suspended all operations till 12am on Tuesday night from the Karachi Airport.
At the time of the filing of this report, the terrorists were present inside the Ispahani Hangar of Karachi Airport and law enforcers were battling with them. However, the Cargo Terminal and Terminal-1 had been cleared of the terrorists.
In a late night development, A Rangers spokesman confirmed that six terrorists had been liquidated while they were battling the others. He said the Rangers had safely evacuated passengers from an aircraft parked at the Jinnah Terminal and shifted the passengers and the crew to the airport lounge.
Meanwhile, District East police said that SSP East Syed Pir Muhammad Shah along with a police party had engaged with terrorists near the Ispahani Hangar. During the encounter, two suicide bombers exploded themselves in which the gunman of SSP East PC, Liaquat, was critically wounded. Two terrorist were gunned down by the policemen, who recovered two rocket launchers, three Kalashinkovs, AWAN rockets and a suicide jacket from them.
Meanwhile, ISPR Spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa tweeted that live TV coverage from inside the airport should stop because it was hindering the operation, giving away the position of assets and troops, thus helping the terrorists.The operation against the terrorists was continuing till the filing of this report.
Reports claimed that three passenger aircraft and a cargo aircraft were damaged in the brazen attack.Following the attack, all flights heading for Karachi were diverted to other towns, including Nawabshah.
There was no confirmation about the strength of the terrorists, who could be up to 15 in number. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwaar Ahmed of District Malir said that the exact number of terrorists was yet to become clear.
Pakistan Army troops had been called in from Malir Cantonment while police commandos and Rangers were battling the terrorists. Sources added that large contingents of security forces had surrounded the airport and routes to the airport had been sealed.
An ISPR statement said the corps commander Karachi had arrived at the Karachi Airport and was supervising the operation.The Director General, Rangers, Maj General Rizwan Akhtar, had also reached the Karachi Airport. Moreover, Pakistan Army personnel were also called to the Karachi Airport who took up positions at sensitive points and were battling with the terrorists.
Police sources said that during the search operation at the Cargo Terminal, they had detained a suspect who might be a member of the terrorist group and was shifted by the law enforcers to an undisclosed location for investigation.
During the gunbattle, six terrorists were killed, reports said. A number of fires were also visible at the airport and there was the sound of frequent explosions and firing. Sources said the passengers and other people at the Jinnah Terminal were safe and there was no threat to them. Reports said Amir Liaquat Hussain, Farooq Sattar and Murad Ali Shah were stranded at the Jinnah Terminal.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had also reached the airport to oversee the operation.The CAA authorities had suspended all operations till 12am on Tuesday night from the Karachi Airport.
At the time of the filing of this report, the terrorists were present inside the Ispahani Hangar of Karachi Airport and law enforcers were battling with them. However, the Cargo Terminal and Terminal-1 had been cleared of the terrorists.
In a late night development, A Rangers spokesman confirmed that six terrorists had been liquidated while they were battling the others. He said the Rangers had safely evacuated passengers from an aircraft parked at the Jinnah Terminal and shifted the passengers and the crew to the airport lounge.
Meanwhile, District East police said that SSP East Syed Pir Muhammad Shah along with a police party had engaged with terrorists near the Ispahani Hangar. During the encounter, two suicide bombers exploded themselves in which the gunman of SSP East PC, Liaquat, was critically wounded. Two terrorist were gunned down by the policemen, who recovered two rocket launchers, three Kalashinkovs, AWAN rockets and a suicide jacket from them.
Meanwhile, ISPR Spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa tweeted that live TV coverage from inside the airport should stop because it was hindering the operation, giving away the position of assets and troops, thus helping the terrorists.The operation against the terrorists was continuing till the filing of this report.
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