Ultras storm Pak police post, kill 5

‘‘It’s an act of terrorism,’’ Karachi Police Chief Tariq Jameel said. ‘‘The police are conducting operations against terrorists and this could be a reaction to the operation.’’

One senior police source said a banned sectarian Sunni Muslim group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, could have been involved following the recent arrest of several of its activists, including a man found with explosives in Karachi last week.

Jatoi said he was shot in the hand after firing on the attackers from a small mosque inside the police compound where he had been praying. Hundreds of bullets were fired in the small three-to-four room station, he said. ‘‘We cannot rule out the involvement of militant groups, but nothing is certain at this stage,’’ said Abdul Khalaq Sheikh, a town police officer.

The gunmen retrieved a dead or wounded assailant before escaping, police officials said. The walls of the station, in the neighbourhood of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, were riddled with bullet holes and there were large pools of blood on the floor, witnesses said.

Syad Kamal Shah, Police Chief in Sindh province, said sketches of two suspects were issued. ‘‘Police are looking for who is responsible and what were the motives,’’ he said. ‘‘We have also found some very important clues and hopefully we will nab the suspects very soon,’’ he added. — Reuters