Courage Under Fire

By Tahir S. Attarwala (Dec. 15 2002 The NEWS)

A culture steeped in corruption, unjust social customs and abject selfishness has made us immune to the acts of brutality prevalent in our society. Yet in spite of our numbness we sometimes come across cases of such bestial savagery that our veneer of complacence dissipates as if it has never been and we are shaken to our very core.

The morning of 6th October began as any day for the people of Karachi. There was no indication that within a few hours the lives of many will be irretrievably shattered while the rest of the city will stand traumatized. A new form of terrorism would emerge to blight the lives of the denizens of this great city. A type of violence as insidious as it was ghastly.

It was the advent of the `parcel` bomb-- The weapon of choice of the coward. It afford the bomber virtual immunity from immigiate reprisals while accomplishing its purpose of spreading terror and destruction.

The spate of parcel bombs on that fateful day was particularly gruesome because the most visible symbols of state authority i.e the police were targeted. And not just an isolated police station or tow. Rather the blasts occurred at the offices of the Home Department Sindh, Crime Investigation Department (CID) and the DIG Operations Karachi. Another one--The forth of the series was detected by the police outside the DIG Operations office and was defused before it would explode. The Message was obvious. ~Try to apprehend us or stop our work at your peril~.

And thus by striking at the heart of the law enforcement apparatus, they sought to nullify all potential opposition to their imperious activities.

The bombs were deliberately set to main and cripple rather then to kill. The terrorists knew only too well that agencies that have the right to bear and use arms deal with violent death not as an abstract concept but rather as an occupational hazard.

For a truly patriotic officer `Martyrdom` in the line of duty is a fate to be envied rather then feared, as well as a source of pride for the entire department. But  crippled comrade who has his limbs torn apart however is a chilling and constant reminder to his fellow officers of what may well be their own fate.  The aim being to suck the morale of the force and destroy its efficiency. As if to clarify this point the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed (via e-mail) responsibility for the blasts. They actually asserted that they were `patriotic` Pakistanis: However the policies of the government left them no choice but to `strike back` in this manner.

While it is true that the police have been justly vilified for their highhandedness as well as their corruption. Yet the fact remains that they are by and large the only line of defense that the common citizen has against the predators running rampant in our midst.

And this is precisely why these men have to pay such a terrible price for merely discharging their duty. For most of the victims of the 16th October attacks were at the forefront of the war against terrorism. The first parcel was delivered by hand at SP Zulfiqar Junejo`s office. As the man who carried it in went away, DSP Fayyaz who was present there examined the envelope on which was inscribed the legend `a gift from the MMA`. This message was present on all the parcels.

He tore open the envelope and pulled out a packet covered in wrapping paper. he said it looked like a diary. But he was surprised why a dairy should come so early before the year was out. Confused,  he untied the ribbon and the bomb went off with a bang.  The windowpanes and the glass top of his table were smashed and those present in the room had their hearing impaired for the time being.

At the time of the blast SP Zulfiqar, HC Amjad and PC Sarfaraz were present in the room and the three suffered injuries from splinters while Fayyaz who had opened the parcel lost his fingers.
The second blast occurred outside the room of the sindh home secretary. brig. Mukthair Ahmed, in Tughlag House when his guard opened an identical parcel. It had been sent to the Home Secretary with the word ~ personal` prominently marked on it.

The security people checked it and warned the officials of the home secretary`s office not to open it. The guard   Gulraz Khan unaware of the situation opened the parcel which exploded with a deafening noise.
The third parcel was delivered at the office of the DIG Operations Tariq Jameel carried an identical inspiration.  It was received by his PA Waqar Abbasi who opened it in front of Taj Mohammand, the man who bought it.  Waqar was a career officer who had started his career as  a simple constable and by sheer hard work had managed to become an inspector. he perused his bachelor`s degree, preferring to study nights while being on duty during daytime.

At the time the bomb was delivered to him a citywide alert was been sent to all teh police stations and offices asking the personal to be extremely wary of any anonymous parcels received by them.
Unfortunately, even as the telephone operator received the warning, inspector Waqar Abbasi  had started untying the ribbon. The operator yelled out a warning thought the glass window but even as he did so the sring loaded detonator set off the slab of TNT that constituted the explosive device.

The sound was deafening in the confined space temporarily knowing out Waqar. When he came to his senses he saw that his right hand was gone, torn apart at the wrist. While a few fingers of his right hand were missing as well. Rather then succumbing to panic he kept his senses and pushed away another unopened bomb and tried to staunch the flow of blood.

His men took him to a prominent government hospital where rather then ending his ordeal the doctors simply severed the remains of his right hand without the benefit of Anastasia. It was only on his earnest pleadings did they deign to render him unconscious.

His parents as well as his wife and two small children came to know about the incident though the local news networks.  So chaotic was the scene at the operations office that no one even know if he was alive. Due to the excessive blood loss the doctors were not optimistic about his survival. But it seems as if Waqar`s characteristic guts as well as the prayers of his family helped pull him though.

After the intervention of senior police officers including the DIG Operations Tariq Jameel himself, Waqar was shifted to a leading private hospital where the fingers of his left hand were successfully re-attached.
This father of two is presently recuperating at home and trying to come to terms with the full impact of his loss. He faces a future as uncertain as it is insecure.

One thing is for sure, had it not been for his courage and foresight in detaining the courier who bought him the parcels, the other bombs in the courier`s possession would have been responsible for similar if not worse devastation.

If Waqar Abbasi`s resolve us typical of his fellow police officers then it is a foregone conclusion that the terrorists have utterly failed in their mission of inspiring terror in the hearts of the law enforcement agencies who are continuing their mission of ridding our society of terrorists and other anti-social elements with grim determination.