Three Rangers Martyred as Security Forces Foil Terrorist Assault on Karachi Facility

Three Pakistan Rangers personnel were martyred and four others injured during a firefight that erupted after terrorists attempted to storm a paramilitary camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar district late Saturday night, the military’s media wing said Sunday.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the attack on the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp was “decisively foiled” by vigilant troops. The assailants, identified by the military as belonging to the Indian-sponsored militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, detonated an explosive-laden vehicle at the facility’s main gate before attempting to breach the perimeter.

Security forces neutralized three attackers—referred to by the state as kharijis (outcasts)—and captured a fourth, an injured Afghan national. The ISPR said sanitization operations were underway to clear the area of any remaining threats.

“Three brave sons of soil rendered the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom in the line of duty,” the ISPR said, adding that the counterterrorism campaign under the vision of ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ would continue at full pace to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism.

Sindh Inspector General Javed Alam Odho confirmed to Dawn that the terrorists rammed the main gate with a vehicle, triggering an extended gun battle. The area was immediately cordoned off by Special Security Unit commandos, the Anti-Terrorist Force, and Rangers personnel as a mopping-up operation commenced.

Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed said one injured paramilitary trooper was admitted with gunshot wounds to the leg. Rescue 1122 teams, dispatched from the central command center, also rushed to the scene near Block 5, Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar both took notice of the incident, directing senior police officials to submit detailed reports and ensure a swift security response.

The assault marks a significant security breach in the metropolis, which has seen sporadic high-profile attacks in recent months. In October 2024, a bombing near Karachi airport claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) killed one person and injured 11, including foreign nationals. In February 2023, a similar assault on the Karachi Police Office on Sharea Faisal resulted in a hours-long siege that left four dead and 19 injured.

The incident comes amid a sharp deterioration in the national security landscape. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), terrorist attacks surged 27 percent in May compared to April, reversing a two-month downward trend and underscoring persistent challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

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