Pakistani police exchanged fire with militants disguised as burqa-clad women in this southern port city, "thwarting" a terror attack on a major oil terminal and forcing the gunmen to flee, a top official said today.
Security guards opened fire when three militants wearing burqas tried to barge into the oil refinery in a van late last night, Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed told reporters.
One security guard was shot dead by the gunmen, who fled when a police patrol team arrived at the spot and exchanged fire with them.
Police later found arms and explosives -- including three Kalashnikovs, pistols, 10 grenades and women's purses filled with ammunition -- which were dumped by the attackers.
"We suspect they wanted to carry out a big terror activity which our prompt police action thwarted," Ahmed said. Karachi's oil terminal supplies fuel to the whole country.
After the military operation against the Taliban in Swat and Malakand, militants are coming to Karachi to destroy the peaceful environment in the area, Ahmed said.
Six militants were killed in Karachi this year while 60 more were arrested during search operations, he added.
Following last night's incident, police launched a search operation to locate the attackers.
Security forces are on alert across Pakistan ahead of next week's Eid-ul-Fitr festival that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan.
In a separate incident, three personnel of the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers were injured when a low-intensity bomb exploded in the heart of Karachi today.
Police also found rocket launchers, grenades and a suicide jacket from a drain outside a police training centre today.
Officials said militants might have wanted to use the weapons for a major terror attack.
