KARACHI: A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a tailoring shop killing a police officer — known for his encounters against criminals and militants — and three of his friends on Thursday.
Police said that the unknown suicide attacker entered the Ejaz Tailor shop in Pakhtoonabad near Old Sabzi Mandi where inspector Shafiq Tanoli was with his friends. The powerful bomb carried steel balls and nails which pierced through the bodies.
Fifteen others were injured and taken to the hospital.
Bomb disposal squat said that up to three kilogrammes of high explosives was used in the bomb.
The powerful bomb also destroyed three adjoining shops and shattered the glass window panels of nearby houses.
Tanoli, the police officer killed in the attack, was known to be an encounter specialist and had killed many militants in the past. He survived many attacks on his life with the latest being last year when a suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle tried to ram into his jeep.
The inspector was demoted a month ago over allegations that he was misusing his power by raiding parts of the city that were beyond his jurisdiction. Following the demotion, the security he was availing earlier, was withdrawn.
Tanoli’s brother blamed the senior police officials for the murder of his brother.
No one took the responsibility for Tanoli’s murder and the police have begun an investigation into the murder.
