Police encounter: Five 'robbers' gunned down in Karachi's DHA Phase 4

KARACHI: Five men, who the police claim were robbers, were gunned down on Friday during an "encounter" in Karachi's Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase 4.

According to the station house officer (SHO) of Gizri Police, the "encounter" took place in an empty bungalow.

"Five suspects were killed during an exchange of fire. Weapons were also recovered from the suspects," the SHO said. "The robbers had reached outside of the bungalow in a double-cabin vehicle which has also been seized."

Police claim that the men were involved in dozens of robberies. Three of the slain robbers have been identified as Mustafa, Mohammad Abid, and Riaz, while efforts are being made to identify the others.

Bungalow owner alleges encounter was "fake"

Lawyer Ali Hasnain, the owner of the DHA Phase 4 bungalow where the incident took place, told Geo News during a telephonic conversation that one of the deceased was his driver Muhammad Abbas, alleging that the police carried out a "fake" encounter.

"The police arrived at my home at 4am and took my driver, Muhammad Abbas," said Hasnain, who is currently in Islamabad. 

According to the details provided by Hasnain, shortly after the incident, he received the news that the police has killed five people during an encounter, including his driver Abbas.

"My mother who is ill was alone at home with the driver when the incident occurred. Muhammad Abbas had been working with me for the past five years and he was an honest man," Hasnain said.

"It was a fake encounter. A man was taken away from my house and killed in the name of a robbery and a police encounter. I do not know the other four people who the police have gunned down."

"I am in Islamabad right now with my family and going back to Karachi soon," said Hasnain. "I will make sure that a transparent investigation is carried out in this regard."