KARACHI, Pakistan — Pakistan’s military reported on Sunday that three paramilitary Rangers were killed and four others injured during a clash following a militant assault on the southern city’s provincial headquarters the night before.
On Saturday evening, a militant drove an explosives‑laden vehicle into the Pakistan Rangers’ provincial headquarters in Karachi, sparking a fierce gunfight with security forces, police and witnesses said.
The military said in a statement that three attackers were killed and a fourth captured, the latter wounded and identified as an Afghan national.
Operations remain ongoing in the area, and the military warned that Pakistan will respond to those responsible. In recent years, Pakistan has conducted airstrikes inside Afghanistan targeting militants linked to cross‑border attacks. Afghan authorities have consistently denied permitting militant groups to use their territory for such operations.
Jamaat‑ul‑Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, asserted responsibility for the assault shortly after it took place.
The military labelled the group an Indian proxy without offering evidence. India has not commented yet, and New Delhi has rejected comparable accusations in the past.
President Asif Ali Zardari honored the three fallen Rangers in a statement, offering condolences to their families and wishing the injured a swift recovery. He lauded the sacrifices of Pakistan’s security forces in combating militancy and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to eradicating terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack and commended the security forces for repelling it.
Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks aimed at police and security personnel in recent years.
The military stated that operations continue to pursue and eliminate any remaining accomplices of the attackers.
Associated Press writer in Islamabad Munir Ahmed contributed to this story.