On September 25, 2002, Karachi witnessed one of the most brutal terror attacks in its modern history. The assault on the offices of Idara-e-Amn-o-Insaf (Institute for Peace and Justice) inside Rimpa Plaza left seven people dead and one critically injured. More than two decades later, the attack continues to haunt Pakistan’s counter-terrorism record, not only for its brutality but also for the controversial claim that terrorists may have used poison injections before executing their victims.
The Background
Founded in 1974, Idara-e-Amn-o-Insaf was a Karachi-based Christian charity and human rights organization. It worked extensively on labour rights, minority issues, and publications related to social justice and awareness. The group often highlighted sensitive topics such as blasphemy laws, women’s rights, and religious freedom.
By the early 2000s, Pakistan was facing rising sectarian violence, and extremist outfits were actively targeting religious minorities and rights organizations. Against this backdrop, the Rimpa Plaza office of Idara-e-Amn-o-Insaf became a target.
The Day of the Attack
According to reports, armed assailants stormed into the organisation’s office in the bustling Rimpa Plaza commercial complex near M.A. Jinnah Road. Once inside, they overpowered the staff, tying and gagging several workers before executing them in cold blood.
- Seven employees were shot dead, most with point-blank gunshots to the head.
- One man survived — Robin Zafar (also known as Robin Sharif/Peera) — though he was critically injured after being shot in the head. He later described how the assailants attacked suddenly, leaving staff members no chance to escape.
The killings were designed not just to eliminate, but to instill fear. The brutality shocked the nation, sending ripples of terror through Karachi’s minority communities.
The Poison Injection Allegation
While most contemporary reports, eyewitness accounts, and medico-legal references confirm that the victims were shot, later interrogations of suspects introduced a disturbing new claim.
During police custody, some accused allegedly confessed that the staff had been “injected with a poisonous substance before being shot.” This detail was presented by the prosecution during trial proceedings years later.
However, no credible forensic or hospital reports were ever made public to substantiate this allegation. Medical records only confirmed gunshot injuries as the primary cause of death. As a result, while the “poison injection” theory entered public discourse, it remains largely unverified and is seen by many researchers as a claim arising out of interrogation statements rather than proven fact.
Legal Proceedings
The aftermath of the Rimpa Plaza massacre saw long and complicated legal battles.
- In 2008, several suspects were arrested, including Mohammad Asif alias Pasha, Zubairuddin alias Sharjeel, and Mohammad Atif.
- They were charged under Sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempted murder), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, as well as under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
- The prosecution presented confessional statements and cited the survivor’s testimony as key evidence.
But the case soon began to collapse.
- The identification parade — in which witnesses must identify suspects — was deemed flawed. By the time of the lineup, suspects’ photographs had already been published in newspapers, making the process unreliable.
- The survivor’s testimony was also challenged, with defence lawyers pointing to contradictions in his statements.
- Most critically, the poison injection claim was never backed by forensic proof, weakening the prosecution’s argument.
Ultimately, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC-II) acquitted five accused, ruling that the case had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The Survivor’s Struggle
The lone survivor, Robin Zafar, lived through unimaginable trauma. Shot in the head, he survived but with lasting disabilities, including partial paralysis and severe damage that affected his ability to work.
He later approached courts seeking financial support and compensation, arguing that his injuries had left him unable to earn a livelihood. While some medical aid was provided, including a one-time donation, much of his struggle for justice and rehabilitation went unanswered.
Robin’s testimony, though contested in court, remains one of the only firsthand accounts of what transpired inside Rimpa Plaza that day.
Impact on Idara-e-Amn-o-Insaf
For Idara-e-Amn-o-Insaf, the attack was devastating. Losing seven staff members in one incident crippled the organisation. The offices at Rimpa Plaza were eventually shut down, and while some of its work continued in limited forms, the organisation never fully recovered.
For Karachi’s Christian community and Pakistan’s human rights sector, the massacre signaled a new level of vulnerability. It was no longer just about being threatened — NGOs and minority workers could now be executed in their own offices, in broad daylight.
Broader Significance
The Rimpa Plaza massacre is remembered as:
- A targeted attack on minorities and rights defenders in Pakistan.
- A case study in the flaws of the justice system, where flawed investigations and witness handling allowed suspects to walk free.
- A reminder of evolving terror tactics, with allegations like poison injections raising concerns about how extremist groups could experiment with unconventional methods.
Even today, the attack remains unsolved in the true sense. The absence of convictions has left families of the victims without closure, while the controversial “poison injection” claim continues to linger in discussions around Pakistan’s counter-terrorism history.
Conclusion
The 2002 Rimpa Plaza attack was more than a terrorist strike; it was a defining moment that exposed Karachi’s vulnerability to sectarian and extremist violence. Whether or not poison injections were truly used, the massacre stands as a dark symbol of the early 2000s wave of urban terrorism.
It silenced the voices of seven activists who had dedicated their lives to justice and equality, and it left behind a legacy of unanswered questions — about the methods used, the masterminds behind the assault, and the inability of the justice system to deliver accountability.
For Pakistan, Rimpa Plaza remains not just a memory, but a warning: in the war against extremism, complacency and flawed justice can prove as dangerous as the terrorists themselves.
