Karachi Citizen Who Rescued Shaheen Force Cops Questions Police Weapons
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: A citizen who transported Shaheen Force personnel to hospital after a deadly shooting near Karachi’s Airport Colony Gate has called for a departmental inquiry into the equipment issued to police, claiming the officers’ weapons failed during the attack.
The shooting occurred on September 16 within the jurisdiction of Airport Police Station. Police said Shaheen Force personnel on patrol attempted to stop suspicious individuals travelling on a rickshaw and motorcycle when the suspects opened fire. One officer was killed and another suffered a bullet wound to his arm.
Citizen Says He Stopped After Seeing Officers on Road
Describing the immediate aftermath, the citizen said he was returning after dropping his family at Karachi airport when he noticed police personnel lying on the road.
He stopped his vehicle and reversed toward them. During those moments, he said he saw two alleged robbers escaping on a motorcycle.
According to his account, his driver initially suggested pursuing the fleeing suspects.
The citizen said he rejected that idea because assisting the injured officers was the priority.
He then placed the wounded personnel in his pickup vehicle and transported them for medical assistance. He also informed traffic police about the incident.
Citizen Raises Questions Over Police Weapons
The most significant allegation in the citizen’s account concerns the weapons carried by the Shaheen Force personnel.
Addressing Sindh’s police leadership, he questioned why the officers’ weapons had allegedly failed to fire and claimed that rounds became stuck in their chambers.
He called for an investigation into who was responsible for the ammunition issued to the personnel and whether the weapons and ammunition provided to frontline police were fit for operational use.
Importantly, the alleged weapon malfunction is currently the citizen’s account. The available Express report does not contain an official Sindh Police technical assessment confirming that the officers’ guns or ammunition malfunctioned.
Departmental Inquiry Demanded
The citizen argued that Shaheen Force personnel regularly put themselves at risk while policing Karachi and should therefore have access to reliable, modern weapons.
He called for a departmental inquiry into the matter and questioned the age and condition of firearms issued to other personnel.
His comments add a police-equipment dimension to an incident initially reported as a deadly attack on patrolling officers.
Any conclusion about whether ammunition, firearm maintenance or another mechanical issue affected the officers’ ability to respond would require an official technical or departmental investigation.
One Officer Killed, Another Injured
Separate police reporting confirms that one Shaheen Force officer was killed and another injured during the confrontation.
According to police, the officers were patrolling when they attempted to intercept suspicious individuals travelling by motorcycle and rickshaw. The suspects allegedly opened fire and escaped.
The injured officer sustained a bullet wound to his arm and was shifted to a private hospital.
The incident prompted a search for those involved.
Two Suspects Later Arrested, Police Say
In a subsequent development on September 17, police said they had arrested two suspects, identified as Tahir and Azeemullah, in connection with the deadly shooting.
One of the arrested men was taken to hospital in an injured condition, according to police.
Police also identified another suspect, Qaiser, who they said had escaped in a rickshaw.
These are police allegations. The arrested individuals have not been convicted, and their alleged involvement remains subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
Weapon-Malfunction Claim Remains Unverified
The citizen’s intervention provides a significant eyewitness account of the rescue but also introduces an allegation requiring independent verification.
What can currently be established is that a Shaheen Force officer was killed and another wounded during the September 16 attack, a citizen says he transported the injured personnel for treatment, and police subsequently reported two arrests.
What has not yet been independently established is the citizen’s claim that the officers’ ammunition became stuck in their weapons or that defective or outdated equipment contributed to the outcome.
A forensic examination of the firearms, ammunition and relevant police records would be needed to establish that claim conclusively.
The citizen has urged the Sindh Police leadership to investigate the issue, arguing that personnel facing armed criminals should be equipped with reliable weapons while performing frontline duties.
