Mardan suicide attack: Beyond the call of duty

MARDAN:

Had Pervez Khan not shown up for duty on Tuesday for some reason, hundreds more would have been slain in the devastating suicide attack outside the NADRA office in Mardan.

The man, quite literally, put himself in harm’s way when he intercepted the explosive-laden terrorist at the outer gate of the office. Eyewitnesses and officials recall he was one of three guards on duty. The bomber lobbed a hand grenade at Pervez when the latter stopped him from entering. That prompted the guard to reach for his pistol, but that is when the militant detonated his deadly explosives.

There were at least five rows of people in the men’s section at the time and had the bomber managed to gain access, the results would have been catastrophic and a countless number of people would have been dead, a police official said

DIG Said Wazir confirmed the reports of Pervez’s courage and said the man gave his own life so others could live. The guard was a resident of Gujrat village of Bakshali, Mardan. He retired from the military around six years ago, family sources said. He was buried in his native village where his funeral was attended by hundreds of residents. However, not a single official came to the burial to pay homage to the selfless soldier who was guarding a government installation. Pervez’s home constituency is the same as that of K-P Minister for Education Atif Khan.  

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2015.