2023 Karachi police station attack

The 2023 Karachi Police Station Attack occurred on 17 February 2023, when Islamist insurgents stormed the heavily guarded Karachi Police Office (KPO) located in the heart of the provincial metropolis of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The attackers used guns and grenades to kill four people (two policemen, a ranger, and a civilian) and injure 14 other people.

The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack. The siege was brought to an end on the same day, with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah later stating that the three militants responsible for the attack were killed by the police, rangers, and army.[2]

The attack on the KPO was seen as a serious security lapse and prompted the security administration and the provincial government to carry out a ‘security audit’ of government buildings and installations. The attack on the law enforcement agency's headquarters raised several questions, and a proper course of action was needed to address these concerns. The ‘security audit’ and the plan of action that the law enforcement agency had after the terrorist attacks had put demands mainly on police across Pakistan and in the security establishments in other parts of the country.[3]

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and emphasized that the terrorists may have forgotten that Pakistan is a nation that defeated terrorism with its bravery and courage.[4]