KARACHI: After an attack on the heavily guarded Karachi Police Office (KPO) in the heart of the provincial metropolis, the security administration and provincial government decided to do a “security audit” of government buildings and installations. They saw the attack on the police agency’s headquarters as a serious security breach.
Officials agreed that the attack on the KPO had brought up a lot of questions, and that they would need to do a “proper exercise” that included the “security audit” and the plan of action the law enforcement agency was making because terrorist attacks, mostly on police, in other parts of the country had made the security establishment nervous.
“There’s no question that our police are fighting and taking the biggest hit, but we need to look at how secure our security offices and buildings are,” he said, asking not to be named.
He said that the recent attack in Peshawar was a wake-up call for law enforcement agencies all over the country, and that it was very worrying that militants were able to get into the police headquarters. “That’s scary.”
But he was sure that the Karachi police, the security administration, and the Sindh government would fix all of the problems and close all of the holes in order to meet the challenge.
He said that, just like in the past, the police were upbeat and ready to take on the challenge. In urban areas, he said, it was mostly the police who fought against militants and made big sacrifices to bring peace back.
“A show of force”
People who have worked closely with security agencies and the provincial government see the attack on KPO as a message from militants to the authorities about their plans and next targets.
Sharufddin Memon, who used to be the head of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and now works as a consultant for the Sindh home department, said, “KPO is not an easy target.”
“This is a message from the terrorists that says, ‘We are that close.’ It’s a big security mistake. It’s not something terrorists usually do. It can’t be forgotten. So, I think a lot of things need to be looked at again. Everything needs to be rechecked, he said, “from the security of our buildings to the fight against terrorism to the training of our police.”
He talked about the last wave of terrorism in the country, when militant groups often attacked public places, markets, mosques, shrines, and imambargahs because they were easy targets. He said that the new wave had started with a clear change in how they were acting so far.
“They are showing how well-prepared and trained they are. If they can attack these places, imagine how easy it would be for them to attack public places. So, it’s time to come up with a good plan for security and face the challenge with full confidence,” Mr. Memon said.
