| Taliban claim responsibility | Interior Minister Sh Rashid says terrorists have
‘given us a signal’ to remain vigilant
ISLAMABAD - A policeman was martyred while two others sustained bullet injuries in a terrorist attack on a checkpost at Jilania Chowk, Sector G-8/1 here in the federal capital, police said. Police also retaliated and shot dead two attackers, an official said. The injured cops were shifted to a local hospital for medical treatment.
The martyred cop has been identified as Munawar Hussain (head constable) and the injured cops were Muhammad Rashid and Roz Amin, the sources said.
Meanwhile, Taliban have claimed responsibility of the attack. Soon after the incident, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Muhammad Ahsan Younas along with other senior police officers rushed to the site and reviewed the interrogation and evidence collection process.
Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Islamabad police have registered a case against terrorists under murder, attempted murder and terrorism charges and began investigation. According to sources, ASI Arshad Mehmood in his statement told CTD officials that he along with his team was on a routine patrol and placing a check post at Chaman Road near Jilania Chowk near G-8/1 Sector when two men riding a motorcycle appeared from somewhere opened indiscriminate firing at the police party.
The police retaliated and gunned down two terrorists on spot, the ASI said adding a cop got martyred while two others were injured.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed claimed that the terrorists who had launched the attack have been living in Misrial (an area of Rawalpindi) and are allegedly part of a sleeper cell of terrorists. “The law enforcement agencies even had traced the location of the terrorists last night and also unearthed the sleeper cell of terrorists,” he said while talking to media after attending funeral prayer of the martyred head constable Munawar Hussain at Police Lines Headquarters.
He added the Islamabad police are on high alert to tackle any kind of terrorist attack. “Even all the other forces are on high alert,” said the Interior Minister. Sheikh Rashid said police and other agencies investigated the killers and traced their location with the help of motorcycle they were riding on.
“It was the first incident of terrorism in the new year in the federal capital,” he said adding that terrorists given us a signal to be remained vigilant. He said the accused had been traced through their bikes.
Meanwhile, Security Forces conducted an Intelligence Based Operation on reported presence of terrorists in Thal, North Waziristan District.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate, during intense exchange of fire, two terrorists Ghayoor and terrorist Bahauddin were killed. Large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also recovered from the killed terrorists. The killed terrorists were involved in terrorist activities against security forces, target killing and kidnapping for ransom.