Guard’s quick thinking saves 17 lives during Chinese Consulate attack

A security guard at the visa office of the Chinese Consulate in Karachi saved 17 lives with his quick thinking during the attack on Friday. 

He was on duty when the visa office opened at 9am. He said that around 12 to 13 people came to obtain information on visas. Six or seven of them were inside the office while the rest waited in the hall, he added.

“Firing was heard at 9:10am. When I got out of the room, I saw the attackers were firing near the barricade as they approached the consulate,” he said.

Consulate guards returned the fire. He said that he quickly called the people sitting in the hall inside the office to ensure their safety.

“I locked the door. There were a total of 18 people, including six staffers, three guards and nine others,” he said. “I told them to sit inside the room and lock themselves in.”

Related: Two policemen, two civilians killed in attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi’s Clifton

He moved a heavy cupboard against the gate to block the attackers' entrance. The cupboard was almost as tall as the gate itself. He then used chairs to shore up the barricade so that the attackers couldn't breach it.

“I locked people inside the washroom and told them to lay down and sleep,” he said.

The guard called up his security company and 15 to inform them of the attack. “The attackers have entered the visa office’s hall. They are trying to break the locks and are continuously firing. If they manage to break the door, 18 lives will be in danger,” he said on the phone.

The police assured him that they will take action immediately and the area will be cleared. “The firing continued for 1.5 hours and we stayed inside,” he said.

His security company instructed him to not come out until someone from a law and enforcement agency tells him to.

Related: Guard barricades Chinese Consulate’s gate during Karachi attack

The guard made sure that none of the people inside the visa office were standing because a "bullet could come from anywhere".

All three attackers, two policemen and two civilians were killed in the attack on the consulate in Clifton Block 4 on Friday.