Draft:Sindh Secretariat attack

• Comment: It is a notable topic. Gheus (talk) 11:09, 29 March 2025 (UTC)

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Sindh Secretariat attack
Part of MQM militancy
Location	Karachi, Pakistan
Date	October 1995
Target	Sindh Secretariat
Attack type	Bomb Blast and Mass shooting
Weapons	Type 56 assault rifle, F-1 grenade (Russia) and IED
Deaths	8 police officers, 3 staff, 4 attackers and 1 civillian
Injured	11 policemen, 9 staff and 13 civillians.
Perpetrators	Muttahida Qaumi Movement
No. of participants	12 gunmen
Convicted	Muhammad Nasir: 21-year sentence Muhammad Faheem: 21-year sentence Ahmed Saeed: Bailed

The 1995 assault on the Sindh Secretariat occurred during one of the most volatile periods in Karachi's political history. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which had dominated Karachi's political landscape since the 1980s, was engaged in an increasingly violent confrontation with state authorities following the launch of Operation Clean-up in 1992. This military-led operation aimed to dismantle the party's alleged militant infrastructure, which security forces accused of running parallel governments in several Karachi neighborhoods.

Background

The early months of 1995 saw a dramatic escalation in hostilities. Security forces conducted frequent raids on MQM strongholds in Landhi, Orangi Town, and Azizabad, while the party's militant wing responded with targeted attacks against law enforcement personnel and government installations. The Sindh Secretariat, housing the provincial bureaucracy and serving as the nerve center of governance, represented a high-value symbolic target. Its location in Karachi's sensitive Red Zone area, surrounded by other key government buildings, made the attack particularly audacious. 2 MQM-L militants were acquitted in the case and jailed for 21 years by ATC court.

Attack

Planning and Preparation

According to classified police reports later made public, the attack was planned over several weeks by a cell of MQM's militant wing operating from concealed locations in Karachi's eastern districts. The assailants reportedly conducted extensive reconnaissance of the Secretariat complex, studying security arrangements and shift patterns of the police guards. Intelligence intercepts suggested the involvement of seasoned militants with prior experience in urban guerrilla warfare.

Execution of the Assault

The attack began at approximately 10:15 AM on March 3, 1995, when a white Toyota van approached the Secretariat's main entrance on Court Road. Eyewitness accounts describe a well-coordinated three-pronged assault:

1. Initial Breach: Four armed men disembarked from the van and opened fire with automatic weapons, killing two sentries at the gate.[1]
2. Explosive Device: The van, loaded with an estimated 50kg of explosives, detonated moments later, creating a 10-foot crater and breaching the perimeter wall. RPG-7 was also used during the attack, being fired five time.
3. Secondary Attack: A second group of attackers entered through the damaged perimeter, engaging in a 25-minute firefight with security forces inside the compound.

The attackers employed sophisticated tactics, using smoke grenades to obscure visibility and strategically placed snipers to pin down responding forces. Forensic analysis later revealed the use of Russian-made RDX in the explosive device, suggesting possible external weapons procurement networks.

Casualties

Human Toll

The attack resulted in:

• 12 confirmed fatalities, including:
  • 6 Sindh Police personnel
  • 3 government clerks
  • 2 security guards
  • 1 civilian bystander
• 38 injured, 15 critically
• 3 attackers killed during the assault

Physical Damage

The explosion and subsequent firefight caused extensive damage to:

• The Secretariat's main administrative block
• The Finance Department's record room
• 12 official vehicles in the parking area
• Critical infrastructure including telephone exchanges and power transformers

Investigation and Attribution

Official Findings

A joint investigation team comprising:

• Sindh Police CID
• Intelligence Bureau (IB)
• Military Intelligence (MI)

concluded the attack was orchestrated by MQM's militant leadership with possible logistical support from external actors. Key evidence included:

• Intercepted radio communications between attackers
• Forensic matching of weapons to previous MQM-linked attacks
• Confessional statements from captured operatives

Controversies and Alternate Theories

Some human rights organizations and MQM sympathizers challenged the official narrative, presenting counter-arguments:

• Allegations of evidence tampering
• Questions about the impossibility of such a complex attack during strict military surveillance
• Claims the attack was a false flag operation to justify harsher crackdowns

Aftermath

Security Reforms

The attack prompted sweeping changes:

1. Physical Security Enhancements:
   • Installation of blast-resistant perimeter walls
   • Vehicle barrier systems
   • Advanced surveillance cameras
2. Procedural Changes:
   • Mandatory biometric screening for all visitors
   • Armed quick response teams stationed permanently
   • Underground emergency bunkers for VIP protection

Political Ramifications

The incident significantly altered Karachi's political dynamics:

• Intensified military operations against MQM
• Erosion of public support for armed resistance
• Accelerated political fragmentation of Karachi's constituencies
• 2 MQM-L militants arrested and jailed for 21 years by Sindh High court

Memorials and Commemorations

The Sindh government established:

• A memorial plaque at the attack site
• An annual remembrance ceremony for fallen officers
• Educational scholarships for victims' families

See Also

• Operation Clean-up
• Karachi Operation
• MQM Militant Wing

Further Reading

• Hassan Abbas, Pakistan's Drift into Extremism (2005)
• Anatol Lieven, Pakistan: A Hard Country (2011)
• The Herald, "Karachi's Years of Blood" (Special Edition, 2005)