Security in the city was tightened following the twin suicide attacks outside FC training centre in Charsadda on Friday, said SSP Operations Ijaz Ahmad Khan.
Over 140 people were injured in the attack and at least 80 were killed, of which 69 were FC recruits. The SSP informed the media that 1,800 policemen have been deputed at different sensitive points including entry and exit points to monitor suspicious persons and vehicles.
Medical Superintendent (MS) Rahim Jan Afridi told the media that extra medical staff has been brought in to deal with the situation.
He elaborated that emergency has been declared in all the hospitals and the injured are being shifted to different wards, with blast victims being given all available facilities.
Soon after the blast Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Bilour said security measures were not adequate for the protection of FC recruits who were returning home after completing training in Shabqadar. Standing outside Lady Reading Hospital, Bilour noted that the Shabqadar blast could be an act of retaliation by militants against the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
Speaking on the strategy to counter the terrorist threat, he said the government›s morale is high and the masses are extending full support to the army, Police, FC and other security agencies for countering terrorism, “We must support the law enforcing agencies to keep their morale high in the present critical situation.”
He said such incidents cannot deter our resolve to purge our soil of extremist elements that are bent upon creating insurgency in the country and damaging the basic fabric of our society.
He said the rigid stance adopted by the government against militancy has borne fruit and broken the militants› backs.
Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour also condemned the blast. In a statement, he said the suicide attacks reflected the height of brutality by militants.
He said such incidents illustrate that terrorists do not exclude anyone for the attainment of their nefarious designs.
Extended his feeling of grief and sorrow to the family members of the victims he said it›s a great loss for the nation.
He assured the bereaved families of compensation by the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2011.
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