On the night of August 12, 2026, at approximately 11:30 PM, a targeted shooting occurred near a Shell Petrol Pump on Sunset Boulevard in Defense Phase 2, near Akhter Colony. The victim was a 35-year-old man named Aman, son of Javaid, who resided in New Abadi, Qayyum Town, Korangi. Authorities noted that Aman had been selling national flags and badges since the beginning of August to earn a livelihood for his family. Tragically, the attackers targeted him right in front of his wife and children. During the assault, three bullets were fired, with one bullet fatally striking Aman in the upper left body between his chest and shoulder. He was immediately rushed to Jinnah Hospital for medical treatment but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. An FIR for the incident was officially registered at the Defense Police Station.
Pre-Attack Planning and Execution
Initial investigations by authorities revealed that the terrorists were affiliated with the proscribed Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA). The briefing stated that these terrorists were operating under the explicit instructions of a foreign-based handler named Arsalan Shah, acting on behalf of an Indian proxy to spread fear and chaos ahead of Independence Day. The suspects were financially facilitated from abroad prior to August 14 to deliberately spread terror in Karachi by targeting Independence Day stalls. The main shooter, identified as Sajjad Ahmed Mallah, began conducting reconnaissance of various stalls across Karachi starting on August 3, before finalizing the Defense Phase 2 location as the target on August 11. On the night of the incident, Sajjad arrived at the crime scene on a 125cc motorcycle and waited for 45 minutes before executing the attack. His two accomplices, Zafar and Faraz, were present on a second motorcycle to provide backup and cover. Following the shooting, surveillance and route mapping tracked the suspects fleeing the scene toward Dhalowali Town and Korangi, traveling through multiple areas including Main Sunset Road, Defense Morr, Phase II Extension, Defense Library, Nisar Shaheed, Panjab Churangi, and potentially the KPT Bridge.
Apprehension and Recoveries
Following the attack, authorities formed multiple technical investigation teams and launched a joint operation. On August 18, 2026, law enforcement agencies successfully arrested the three terrorists during a raid near the Causeway River in the Korangi Industrial Area. The arrested individuals were officially identified as Zafar Ali (son of Abdul Rauf), Faraz Ahmed (son of Muhammad Ismail), and Sajjad Ahmed (son of Bashir Ahmed). During the apprehension, authorities recovered a cache of weapons, including three hand grenades and a pistol. Legal action has also been initiated under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The briefing concluded that further investigations remain ongoing to identify the terrorists' local facilitators, trace their foreign contacts and financial sources, uncover how they obtained the explosive materials, and determine their potential involvement in other incidents.
