Terror bid ensues: Two killed, three injured in separate attacks in Bajaur

PPP Mamond president among those killed

KHAR: At least two people, including Pakistan Peoples Party Mamond president, were killed while three security officials were injured on Sunday in two separate acts of terror in Bajaur Agency.

An official of the political administration told The Express Tribune, two separate improvised explosive dev  ice (IED) blasts rocked Zari Mamond and Sapari Mamond tehsils.

“In Zari Mamond, a tribal elder and PPP Mamond President Malik Muhammad Khan were killed after their vehicle hit an IED on the way,” he said.

The official added a convoy of security forces also hit an IED planted on a roadside in Sapari Mamond tehsil, leaving three security officials injured. They were rushed to the agency headquarters hospital in Khar and subsequently airlifted to Peshawar due to their critical condition.

Security forces, along with political administration, launched a search operation in the tehsils to arrest the alleged perpetrators of the terror attacks.

However, the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban assumed responsibility for the attack. According to an official statement, TTP said its special task force planted an IED to kill the PPP Mamond president as soon as he left his house. Furthermore, the militant outfit also planned the attack on security forces

Zardari condemns attack

Former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack on the party’s tehsil president and paid glowing tributes to the deceased.

“Muhammad’s sacrifice will not go in vain,” he said.

A day earlier, two tribal leaders and a minor were killed while two others were injured in an IED blast in Utmankhel tehsil, Bajaur Agency. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

CNG blast

A CNG station salesman was killed when a cylinder went off in a car at a CNG station on Peshawar Road, Shabqadar on Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses and police officials, a CNG cylinder went off in a car, killing Nisar Khan who was filling CNG in it. Khan died instantly while the driver was critically injured. The area was cordoned off and investigation is under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2015.