KARACHI: Senior police officer Chaudhry Aslam, who led the operations against militants and extremists in Karachi for years, was killed on Thursday afternoon when a powerful IED blast destroyed his vehicle on the Lyari Expressway. His guard and driver were also killed in the attack, police said.
“SP CID Chaudhry Aslam’s vehicle was targeted near Essa Nagri by a roadside bomb, weighing approximately 25 to 30 kilograms, which was detonated by remote control,” SP Gulshan-e-Iqbal Muqadas Haider, who was the first to and driver was killed instantly, while 14 others including police officials were wounded.”
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mohmand Agency claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that Chaudhry Aslam was targeted for killing their several members including Arif alias Dr. Maqbool and Abdur Rehman in October 2013.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mohmand Agency chapter, headed by Maulvi Abdul Wali alias Maulvi Omar Khurasani, claimed responsibility for the killing of senior police officer Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam in Karachi on Thursday.
“This man had caused us heavy losses. He had killed and tortured several of our people in Karachi. It’s a huge success for our fighters across the country,” said Sajjad Mohmand, a spokesman for the TTP Mohmand Agency Taliban said.
Calling Geo News from his Afghan cell phone, he said they had been working for quite a long time to eliminate Chaudhry Aslam and they finally succeeded on Thursday.
Sajjad Mohmand claimed it was a suicide attack in which the bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into Chaudhry Aslam’s vehicle.
He said they were aware of the security measures Chaudhry Aslam had taken for his protection; therefore, they trained a suicide bomber on modern techniques to approach his car.
Sajjad Mohammad, who used to work as TTP spokesman before under the name Ehsanullah Ehsan, said they would now easily target other police and security officials who had inflicted losses on them.
Taliban sources said Chaudhry Aslam had developed good contacts within the Urdu-speaking militant groups in Karachi and given a tough time to the Pashto-speaking Taliban fighters who mostly went there from tribal areas and Swat valley.
“He had narrowed the land in Karachi for the militants. They were restricted to their hideouts and avoided mobile phones. They moment they talked on mobile phone, Chaudhry Aslam raided the place,” said a TTP member of Swat.
Pleading anonymity, he said Chaudhry Aslam used to kill all militants on the spot he would capture during a raid in Karachi.
He said majority of the militants shifted to Karachi belonged to South Waziristan, Swat and Mohmand Agency, after the Pakistani security forces launched operations against them in their respective areas.
SP Muqadas Haider said: “Nothing had been left of the vehicle in which Muhammad Aslam Khan, who was known as Chaudhry Aslam, was traveling with his guard and driver. “The blast was so powerful that the vehicle’s wreckage was thrown some 20 to 30 feet away from site of explosion.”
Three other vehicles, including one in the convoy of the slain police official, were also badly damaged in the explosion that was heard several kilometers afar, smashing glass and windowpanes of nearby buildings and vehicles on the road.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Shahid Nadeem Baloch vowed that the blood of the slain police official would not go to waste.
“Chaudhry Aslam was a brave police officer who faced countless threats. As far as the perpetuators of attack and modus operandi are concerned, investigation is underway and we will not be able to share premature information with the public,” he added.
He said three to four terrorist groups might be behind the attack but did not elaborate the names of the suspected groups. Several investigation teams have been formed to arrest the culprits, he added.
Chaudhry Aslam’s killing was seen as a serious blow to Karachi and Sindh police by his foes and friends in the police force who said his killing was a serious setback to efforts against militancy and crime in Karachi where the Karachi police and Paramilitary Rangers were striving to eliminate criminals and reduce crime.
The bodies of Chaudhry Aslam and two of his associates were taken to Aga Khan Hospital from where these were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) for autopsy.
The other police personnel martyred in the attack were identified as Farhan and Kamran. Both were trusted associates of Chaudhry Aslam.
Dr. Seemi Jamal, in charge of emergency services at JPMC, told newsmen that Chaudhry Aslam had deep wounds to his head, chest and abdomen.
Around 55 percent body of the deceased was badly mutilated and his face was unrecognizable. Several metal and plastic pieces penetrated deep inside his body,” she said.
Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials, who reached the spot and collected evidences, confirmed to The News that a roadside bomb was used to attack the vehicle of Chaudhry Aslam, which was apparently detonated with the help of a remote controlled device.
“A home-made explosive (HME) weighing around 25-30 kilograms was used in the attack and it was a planted explosive device. Investigation is underway to find out whether ball bearings or metallic pellets were used or not but the explosion itself was so powerful that it completely destroyed its target, killing all on board,” Amir, an official of BDS, said.
DIG East Munir Shaikh also confirmed that Chaudhry Aslam was apparently targeted through a roadside bomb in Essa Nagri when he reached there to take the route to reach his office at Garden Headquarters. Shaikh said Aslam was not traveling in his usual bomb and bullet-proof vehicle.
“The original vehicle in use of Chaudhry Aslam had been sent for repair work and at the time of attack he was not in his bomb-proof vehicle although the vehicle destroyed in the explosion was also bullet-proof,” he added.
Following the powerful explosion that was heard in the entire Gulshan-e-Iqbal and adjoining areas, police and Rangers rushed to the sport and cordoned off the area while the dead and the injured were shifted to different hospitals including Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Additional police surgeon at ASH Dr. Abdul Haq Bhutto told The News that nine injured, including three women, were brought at ASH and emergency had been declared at the hospital but keeping in view the minor injuries to wounded emergency was lifted and within half an hour all the injured were discharged after treatment.
Farhan, 27, and Kamran, 34, were pronounced dead on arrival at the Aga Khan Hospital while Rehmat Ali, 27, Mohammad Fayyaz, 27, Hazrat Bilal 32, Mohammad Irfan, 28, and Farhan Ahmed Khan, 28, were critically injured and were being treated at the Aga Khan Hospital.
The attack on Chaudhry Aslam’s convoy and his subsequent killing drew widespread condemnation. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Governor Dr. Ishratul Ibad, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Minister Punjab Main Shahbaz Sharif, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PTI chief Imran Khan and leaders of different political and religious parties.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif condemned the martyrdom of SP CID Chaudhry Aslam and other officials and said such attacks will not deter the law enforcement agencies in their fight against terrorism.
President Mamnoon Hussain also condemned the IED blast that killed SP CID Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam and other officials.
In a message to the bereaved families, the president paid tribute to the martyred officer and lauded his services for the country. The president said such cowardly attacks could never deter the nation and the law enforcement agencies’ personnel to pursue their struggle against terrorism.
Former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari Thursday condemned the killing of SP CID Chaudhry Aslam and his two subordinates.
In a statement, Zardari said the cowardly attack on police convoy showed that terrorists were against this country and wanted to impose their distorted religious and political agenda on the people of Pakistan.
“No matter what these terrorists do will not weaken the security forces and nation’s resolve to fight these terrorist till their last defeat,” he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan Thursday condemned the lethal attack on police officers in Karachi and expressed disappointment over the death of SP CID Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam.
In a statement, Imran paid tribute to the bravery, commitment and courage of the slain police officers and stated that their tragic departure was a great loss for both the police department and the nation.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain Thursday condemned the killing of SSP Chaudhry Aslam and his two colleagues.
“SSP Chaudhry Aslam was active in fighting against terrorists who are carrying out subversive activities in Pakistan. He conducted operations against terrorists and criminal elements bravely,” Altaf said.
He said Pakistan and Karachi police had lost a brave officer adding that it was a great loss for Pakistan. He said Aslam’s killing had aggrieved the peace loving people of Karachi.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah announced Rs. 20 million compensation for the heirs of Chaudhry Aslam. One plot and government job for one family member of the martyred police officials.
The family members of other slain police personnel will also get Rs2 million while the injured would get Rs100,000.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif Thursday strongly condemned the bomb blast in Karachi and expressed sorrow and grief over the death of senior police officer Ch Muhammad Aslam and other police officials.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif condemned cowardly terrorist attack on Superintendent Police of Crime Investigation Department (CID) Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam.
In a statement issued here by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), General Sharif, acknowledging the contributions of police and other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in the fight against terror, paid rich tribute to Ch Aslam for laying down his life in the line of duty.
Condemning the attack, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said the attack was being investigated.
CPLC chief Ahmed Chinoy said the attack will not dampen the morale of Sindh police and the operation against the terrorists would continue.
Meanwhile, CID anti-extremism cell In-charge Raja Umar Khattab said: “Tehreek-e-Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were and still are a threat.”
He vowed to continue the mission of Chaudhry Aslam.
PPP Patron-in-Chief, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted: “Shaheed Chaudary Aslam had been threatened & attacked B4. He didn’t back down. He died a brave man. Shame on cowards.”
The attack was also condemned by PTI chairman Imran Khan who placed responsibility on authorities in Sindh.
Chaudhry Aslam was seen as one of Pakistan’s toughest police officers. He survived several attacks on his life, including a suicide attack on his residence in September 2011 in which almost eight people were killed
Starting his career as an ASI in 1984, Muhammad Aslam Khan, commonly known as Chaudhry Aslam, was serving as the Superintendent Police (SP) of the Central Investigation Department (CID). He had served as a station house officer (SHO) at a number of police stations in the metropolis.
He originally hailed from Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chaudhry was added in front of his name due to his role in the Karachi operation.
In 2010, Khan was appointed as a head of the Investigation Wing of the CID. Earlier, he also headed the Lyari Task Force (LTF) to uproot gangsters from Lyari.
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