Terror attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange foiled

KARACHI: Three security guards and a police sub-inspector were martyred on Monday as an attempt by terrorists to storm the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) building in Karachi was thwarted, killing all four assailants.

Seven people, including three policemen, also sustained injuries in the incident, the police said. The terrorists tried to enter the PSX building from parking ground side, according to eyewitnesses. They were seen shouldering backpacks and carrying automatic weaponry in an amateur video captured by an eyewitness. The equipment, arms and ammunition recovered from them indicated they had come prepared for a long siege.

After failing to enter the compound, the terrorists launched a gun and grenade attack and attempted to storm the building while opening indiscriminate fire. They were engaged by security personnel deputed there and failed to make any headway amidst heavy exchange of fire.

The entire locality was later cordoned off by security forces and a search operation was launched. The PSX was evacuated and the car that the terrorists had arrived in was taken into custody.

Director PSX and an eyewitness to the attack, Abid Ali Habib, said the terrorists had stormed the Railway Ground parking area and fired outside the ground of the PSX. Habib said the firing by terrorists had caused panic among the people in the building. Later, Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Director General Maj-Gen Omer Ahmed Bokhari, addressing a press conference alongside the city police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon, said the four militants that came to the PSX, had intended to not only enter the building but also carry out violence and hold people hostage. “Every terrorist was armed with weapons that included Ak-47s, hand grenades, rocket launchers. They were also carrying food and water,” he said.

Speaking about the operation, Maj-Gen Bokhari said the four attackers were killed within eight minutes. He said they carried out the attack at 10:02am and were gunned down at 10:10am. “It was a combined effort with Rangers, police and PSX security guards,” he said, adding the entire building was cleared within 25 minutes so that the routine activity of the PSX was not affected.

Clearing the air about who was responsible for the attack, the DG Rangers said they were investigating and trying to identify the “gaps”. “We will find out what gaps were present due to which these militants came through and investigate them,” he added. He continued: “The PSX is an important symbol of economic activity hence the objective of these militants was to increase casualties here and hold hostages.”

“It was an attempt to send a message to the world that Pakistan is not safe. They wanted to damage Pakistan’s economic activity and harm investors’ confidence,” the DG Rangers noted.

He added: “I can guarantee you that this terrorist attack could not have taken place without a ‘hostile terrorist agency’ and number one on the list is RAW.”

He said: “Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in the past few years have taken action against criminal gangs and terrorist organisations, shrinking their space [to operate with impunity]. Hence, this has frustrated hostile agencies. We are fully aware that hostile agencies are struggling to form a nexus of remnants of some terrorist organisations.” He added: “We are aware of who is doing what and forming which nexuses. You will see, we will reach to the depth of this and shrink their [militants] space further.”

Responding to a question, the DG Rangers said it was easy to call everything an intelligence failure. “Karachi is a large city and it isn’t as easy as four people sitting in a car and carrying out militant activities everywhere,” he said.

People should appreciate how these four terrorists had been eliminated within eight minutes, he said. “Our response was in place and they could not fulfill any of their objectives,” he added. He said the PSX attack was similar to the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi a year-and-a-half ago. “The linkages [of militants] with India are there for all to see. We are aware of it and we are aware of their [hostile agencies] frustration,” he added.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of PSX Farrukh Khan told Geo News the incident was “very unfortunate” but thankfully the PSX’s security arrangements and planning done by them was “effective” in thwarting the attack.

Khan also shared trading was not affected by the attack and continued even during the attack and was still under way. He also clarified the PSX had not received any kind of threat about an imminent attack.