Menace continues: Target killings remain real challenge for police

Many of the cases have been solved, yet incidents continue

PESHAWAR: Around 12 people have been killed in target killings in the district in 2016, according to data obtained by The Express Tribune.

The largest number of incidents were recorded in the jurisdiction of Yakatoot police station where five people, all of them policemen, have been slain. It was followed by area of Hayatabad police station where two people were gunned down by criminals. A person each was killed in the jurisdictions of  Kabuli, Banamarhi, Phandu, Sarband and Faqirabad police stations in the city.

The killing of a Hindko poet, writer and his daughter-in-law in the area of Gulbahar police station is not included in this list as the murder still remains a mystery. Police were still unable to determine whether this attack was a targeted one or not. However, if the Gulbahar incident is included, around 13 targeted attacks have occurred in Peshawar this year and at least 15 people lost their lives.

Tacking these incidents is a very real challenge for law-enforcement agencies across the province. In K-P, 29 policemen have been killed and 44 injured in target killings as well as IED and suicide attacks.

Meanwhile, all such attacks claimed the lives of 63 civilians and left 174 injured.

The year 2016 is also not good in terms of the casualties per attack ratio which is far greater than last year despite decline in the total number of attacks.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a police official said target killings were a major issue, but many cases had been solved successfully and the culprits were arrested.

For instance, a former ISI director was killed in Hayatabad and the killer later turned out to be his own nephew who joined a banned outfit some years ago. He murdered the director as the latter was going to join a university in Afghanistan as head of faculty.

“Terrorists are active and are after easy targets,” the official said. He added analysis showed most of the policemen and other victims were targeted when they were not on their guard.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2016.