Sindh police launch training program after Amal's death in shootout

KARACHI: 500 personnel of Karachi police on Sunday received a special training in precautionary measures they need to adopt during shootouts with outlaws at public places.

The Sindh police launched the training program in the wake of the death of a minor girl, Amal Umer, in a police shootout with robbers at a traffic light in Karachi.

The first phase of the training session was held in Karachi today in which 500 policemen were trained in the use of SMGs, pistols and other light weapons during encounters at public places.

Similar training sessions will also be held in other cities of the province to train and prepare the personnel to deal with any emergency and keep any damage to a minimum.

On August 13, a police party which was on patrol in Akhtar Colony area of Defence was informed by a couple of families that at least two armed men in a rickshaw were intercepting passersby and snatching their valuables at gunpoint.

“After some efforts, the police spotted two of the bandits [in Akhtar Colony]. As our mobile van approached them, one of them fired shots at us and the situation sparked an exchange of gunfire,” a police official told the media while adding that one of the bandits was killed and the other ran away.

However, when the guns fell silent after a few minutes, the girl — who was passing by the area in a car along with her family — was also found hit by a bullet. 10-year old Amal died later that night at a private hospital.