Pakistan: Four killed in drive-by shooting in Karachi July 21

Event

Four people were killed on Friday, July 21, after a drive-by shooting in Karachi. Reports say the assailants opened fire indiscriminately at a police outpost in the Korangi area, leading to the deaths of two police officers as well as two passers-by (including one child). Militant groups have yet to claim responsibility for the attack. An increased security presence is to be expected in the area.

Context

In general, the security situation in Karachi has improved substantially after a large operation was launched in 2014 against militant and criminal groups. According to official statistics, there has been a 70 percent reduction in targeted killings, an 85 percent reduction in extortion cases, and a 90 percent decrease in cases of kidnappings for ransom. However, both targeted and indiscriminate crime continues to occur with relative frequency.

Advice

Despite this significant improvement, the southern city of Karachi (the largest in Pakistan) remains one of the most crime-prone cities of the whole Asian region. Karachi is described by several Western governments as a city vulnerable to various issues including violent ethnic conflicts, criminal and political violence, and frequent incidents of armed carjacking, robbery, kidnapping, and murder, as well as strikes called for by religious and political parties. As a reminder, all Western embassies in Pakistan advise their citizens against nonessential travel to the country. Travel to Karachi (or elsewhere in Pakistan) should only be considered with proper security protocols in place.