PESHAWAR - At least five people, including four cops, were killed and two others wounded Friday following two attacks in Peshawar that targeted police personnel.
Three policemen and a civilian were killed while three other injured, when gunmen opened fire on a police mobile in Peshtakhara area of Peshawar on Friday evening.
Police said that the incident occurred near Peshtakhara Square, where armed person riding a motorcar opened firing on police patrolling van at 7:25pm. Among the dead were a sub-inspector of police and a waiter of a nearby hotel. The dead and the injured were shifted to the Khyber Teaching Hospital.
Cant Superintendent of Police (SP) Muhammad Faisal confirmed that three policemen and a civilian have been killed while another two cops and a passerby were wounded in the ambush. He said the attackers came in a white car and managed their escape.
The eyewitnesses said that the policemen were staying for Iftar near a roadside restaurant when the attackers opened fire on them. Being busy in iftar preparation, the policemen had their bullet proof jackets off their chests.
The killed persons were identified as driver Baz Muhammad, Multran Khan, son of Saif-ur-Rahman, and Javed, son of Jallat Khan. The funeral prayer of the martyred cops was offered at Peshawar Police Lines at 11pm.
Hours earlier, a policeman was killed and three others sustained injuries when a remote-controlled device hit a police mobile in the jurisdiction of Yakatoot police station.
The incident occurred when a police mobile was on a routine patrolling in the Wazirbagh area of Peshawar. The blast badly damaged the mobile and injured Head Constable Javed, Ishaq, Allah Data and Rozi Gul.
All the injured were rushed to Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, where doctors pronounced Javed dead.
Soon after the incident, police and bomb disposal squad, reached the blast site and cordoned off the area. According to the bomb disposal squad, around 2kg explosive was used in the attack.
Police also launched a search operation and arrested 20 suspects from the scene. The police were sure they would trace the culprits soon.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani has said the KP police are not a beatable force and that the ongoing war on terror would culminate in the victory of police.
He was talking to journalists after offering Namaz-e-Janaza of Shaheed Head Constable Javed. The IGP said the police mobile was targeted at a speed breaker through an IED, due to which the head constable was martyred and other three policemen were injured. The IGP said police are being continuously targeted for the last few days.
In this connection, he cited the encounters that took place at Kohat Road and Chamkani with miscreants. However, he added, the police are giving a very tough time to the terrorists with a great courage and bravery and are ensuring protection of lives and property of the general public at the cost of their own lives. He termed this attack a reaction over the police action.
To a question, the IGP disclosed that installing jammers in each and every police vehicle is very costly. He, however, disclosed armoured plating of vehicles is being carried out to minimise losses in case of any attack.
To another question, the IGP said police remained alert round the clock while search and strike operations are being carried out everywhere in the province and special security measures being adopted to maintain peace on Eidul Fitr. He appealed to the traders’ community to extend a helping hand to the police in maintaining law and order.
Earlier, Namaz-e-Janaza of Shaheed Head Constable Javed was attended by IGP Nasir Khan Durrani, the Peshawar commissioner and other high-ranking police officers. They also laid floral wreaths on his coffin. A smart contingent of police presented guard of honour to his coffin.
In another incident, an Afghan national working in a carpet industry was gunned down by unknown armed persons when he was on his way home.
Noor Muhammad, a friend of Majeed Aga, told police that the deceased was working with him in a carpet industry and belonged to Afghanistan. The deceased had been living in Attock district for the last eight years.
In yet another incident, one Abdullah was targeted in Khazana area when he was going to a mosque to offer Taraweeh.
On the other hand, the bomb disposal squad defused a bomb near Khyber police check post in Hayatabad. Sources said that two kilograms of homemade explosive material was recovered from near the post.
KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Governor have strongly condemned the attack on police squad at Pishtkahara by unknown miscreants.
The chief minister announced a compensation of Rs3 million for each martyred police personnel and Rs5 lakh for the martyred civilian under the Shuhda Package. Similarly, the serious injured police cops will be paid Rs100,000 and get free treatment.
He directed the concerned authorities to immediately release the compensation amount and ensure regular payment of salaries to martyred police jawans' heirs, besides providing free education to the children of the martyred and immediate provision of employment to one member of each affected family of cops.
Pervez Khattak also announced Rs3 million, along with all the above mentioned amenities, for a police Hawaldar who was killed in a bomb attack on a police patrolling van in Wazirbagh area. In a statement, he said that though the amount is no alternative to a precious life but it is a minor effort to share the grief and financial problems of the heirs on behalf of government and people of the province.