Pakistan CID building attack

On 11 November 2010, the headquarters of Pakistan's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Karachi, Sindh, was struck by a coordinated gun, grenade and truck bomb attack. The building, which houses the department responsible for anti-terrorism operations, was described as located in the city's "highest security zone," situated only a short distance from the residence of the provincial Chief Minister of Sindh and two five-star hotels.

According to reports, the attack began when five to six armed individuals threw grenades and opened fire at the gate of the building, killing the guards stationed there. Witnesses also described a gunfight between heavily armed militants and security forces that reportedly continued for around 20 minutes before a vehicle packed with explosives made its way inside the compound and detonated just metres from the building. The explosion caused a blast crater roughly 5 metres wide and inflicted significant damage on the CID building as well as nearby structures.

Initial reports indicated the building had been badly damaged. At least 18 people were killed and around 100 injured, with authorities at the time cautioning that casualty figures were expected to rise.

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack through its spokesman, Azam Tariq, who stated the assault was carried out in retaliation for continued drone strikes in northwest Pakistan. Separately, the possible involvement of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi was also raised and contested, with then-Interior Minister Rehman Malik reportedly appearing confident of that possibility.