PISHIN - At least six persons, including three policemen, were killed at Saranan Road when a police van was hit by a roadside bomb on Monday.
According to sources, a police van was on routine patrolling in the area when it was targeted by a remote-controlled device planted by the roadside, killing three policemen and three citizens, and injuring many others.
The security and rescue officials reached the site after receiving information about the explosive. The security officials surrounded the area as rescue teams shifted the dead and injured to a hospital. According to hospital sources, the injured were in critical condition. Moreover, the security officials also started a search operation in the area while the bomb disposal squad was trying to find out the exact genre of the blast.
Talking to media, DPO Mehboob Arshad said the police personnel had set up a check-post. “When they were checking a private car, a bomb went off,” he said and added that three police personnel, including one ASI and two constables were among six people killed. He said that it was a remote-controlled blast. “Around 8 kg explosives were used in the blast,” he said. The deceased were identified as ASI Asghar, Head Constable Khan Muhammad and Constable Bhadur.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned the attack. He expressed deep sorrow and shock over the incident and prayed for the early recovery of those injured in the blast.
AFP adds: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility of the attack. “We attacked the police to avenge killing of our men by the army in a recent staged encounter in the country’s northwest,” TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.
Pishin is a small town located in the Pishin District located in the east of the province at bordering with Afghanistan’s border.