Peshawar: A Frontier Constabulary (FC) official was martyred on Monday while eight others, including two civilians, were injured in a blast near Prime Hospital Complex on Peshawar’s Warsak Road, police said.
Warsak Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Arshad Khan confirmed that a vehicle of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa FC’s Mohmand Rifles regiment was targeted in the attack at around 10:30am. The vehicle was headed towards Peshawar from Machni when the blast occurred, he said. SP Khan said that one FC official was martyred as a result while six FC officials and two civilians were also injured.
Stating that there was “no prior threat”, he said the blast was carried out using an improvised explosive device (IED). The SP said that further investigation was under way and that a report by the Bomb Disposal Unit would further clarify the nature of the blast. In the afternoon, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Syed Ashfar Anwar visited the site of the incident, where possible evidence was collected.
He further announced that “strict checking” has been initiated at all entry and exit routes to the city and asserted that the government would “not let anti-state elements succeed in their nefarious designs”. CCPO Anwar said all security institutions were working together to combat terrorism and establish peace
Meanwhile, Caretaker KP Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan condemned the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
In his statement, he directed hospital authorities to provide the injured with the best possible medical aid.
The chief minister added, “Such incidents will not demoralise the security forces. The entire nation is standing with the security forces.”
Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the “cowardly attack”.
“The sacrifices of our valiant soldiers and resilient people will not go in vain and such terrorist attacks cannot stop us from completely getting rid of the militants,” he said, as he prayed for the injured and the deceased.
The incident comes a day after interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti downplayed the increase in militancy in the country, saying there was no need for alarm as “a little surge [in terrorism] is not so big as to make us panic”.
His statement came amid reports of almost daily skirmishes between the security forces and terrorists — the most recent being the infiltration attempt in Chitral in which over a dozen attackers were killed while several troops embraced martyrdom.
Last week, a convoy of security forces narrowly escaped a suicide attack on Miramshah road in Bannu.
Last month, police and security forces repulsed three midnight militant attacks at as many locations in an area bordering the Kohat district. No casualties were reported. –Agencies
