Shoot out: Robbers gun down constable

Police says Constable Saqib was shot by 2 men when he and Constable Noor Khan responded to mobile snatching call.

ISLAMABAD:

A Sabzi Mandi police constable was killed by unidentified robbers while he tried to arrest them near the IJ Principal Road toll plaza on Saturday night.

Constable Zaheer Saqib was shot by two armed men on a motorcycle when he and Constable Noor Khan responded to a mobile snatching call, according to the police.

The suspected robbers had snatched a mobile phone and cash from Muhammad Yar, a resident of Charsadda. The suspects fired at the policemen, who fired back. Saqib was killed in the encounter. A suspected robber was injured, but they all managed to flee the scene on the motorcycle. Constable Khan was not hurt in the shootout.

Saqib’s funeral prayers were offered at Police Line Headquarters on Sunday. His body has been shifted to his hometown in Sanghar, Sindh for burial.

Islamabad Police Operations Assistant Inspector General Sultan Azam Temuri paid tribute to the slain constable and said the Islamabad Police will provide all possible assistance to the families of policemen killed in the line of duty.

He also ordered the police to arrest the culprits as soon as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2014.