Claim: Following an attack on the Karachi police chief’s office on 17 February 2023, police left the building without putting up a fight against the terrorists and the Pakistan Army refused to carry out an operation.
Fact: An operation by law enforcement agencies, including police, army and Rangers, to clear the five-storey building is underway, according to Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab.
Terrorists attacked the office of the Karachi police chief located on main Shahrah- e- Faisal on 17 February 2023, with an operation currently underway. At the time of writing, multiple officials have confirmed that one policeman and one civilian have been killed, and 11 people have been injured.
Update: At 10.42 pm Murtaza Wahab confirmed that the “KPO building has been cleared” and “three terrorists have been neutralised”.
Update: A spokesperson for the Sindh Rangers announced that the operation is complete. Our headline has been updated to reflect this.
Fact or Fiction?
On 17 February 2023, Twitter user AdvisorZaidu claimed that after an attack on the Karachi police chief’s office, police left the building without attempting to fight the terrorists, and the Pakistan Army refused to carry out the operation to clear the building.
“Police Station in #Karachi is under attack. All police personnel left the building after seeing Mujhahideens entering the building without giving any fight. Pak Army refused to enter the building & refused to start the operation as they’re being paid from last 4 months,” the tweet reads.
Another user claimed that Sindh police ran away after which the Pakistan Army was called to carry out the operation.
Soch Fact Check found the claim to be false. Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab reiterated that “law enforcement agencies including police, army and rangers have cleared three floors” so far and have reached the rooftop of the five-storey KPO building. “Army snipers are also present to deal with the terrorists at the rooftop,” he said.
KPO is a 5 storey building, 3 floors have been cleared so far by law enforcement agencies including police, army and rangers. Army snipers are also present to deal with the terrorists at the rooftop
— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) February 17, 2023
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the attack took place around 7:10 pm. He said that the provincial government had asked the army for help.
ARY News and Dawn reported that Rangers and police teams started a joint operation against the terrorists.
Soch Fact Check found photos and videos of Sindh police and Rangers partaking in the ongoing operation.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said five or six gunmen were involved in the attack.
Wahab shared that at least one policeman and one civilian had been killed and 11 people injured in the attack are being treated at the hospital, out of which one is critical.
Update: At 11:13 pm time, Wahab confirmed that “4 people were martyred (2 policemen, 1 rangers & 1 civilian) while 14 people are injured, who are being treated. Out of the injured 1 person is critical while the condition of 13 injured persons is stable”.
Virality:
The claim posted by the Twitter user — @AdvisorZaidu — gained significant traction, with over 8,279 people viewing the post, 18 retweets and 115 likes as of writing time.
Conclusion: Law enforcement agencies, including police, army and Rangers, are taking part in an ongoing operation to clear Karachi police chief’s office after terrorists attacked it. The siege has entered the fourth hour.
Update: At 11:14 pm Murtaza Wahab confirmed that the “KPO building has been cleared” and “ three terrorists have been neutralised”.
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