A leader of the peace committee and his two police guards were among the five people who lost their lives in a remote-controlled bomb attack in Swat, police said.
Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive manhunt soon after receiving information about the brazen assault.
The peace committees were formed across Swat district after the Taliban took control of the area between 2007 and 2009. These committees fought against the militants to protect their villages and union councils.
According to DPO Swat Zahid Marwat, Kabal Amn Committee member Idrees Khan, along with his two police guards, was returning from Kot Katai area of Barra Bandai when his vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled explosive device by unidentified miscreants.
As a result of the blast, Khan and his two police guards lost their lives.
Khan was having his house built in the Kot Katai area and was coming back after inspecting the construction work.
The martyred police guards were identified as constable Tauheed and constable Rambil. A passerby, Sanaullah, and another unidentified man were also killed in the attack.
The bodies of all the slain men were moved to the Kabal Hospital.
The vehicle Khan was travelling in was also completely destroyed.
Soon after the explosion was reported, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan took notice of the incident and summoned a report from the provincial police chief.
“Chief Minister expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families,” an official statement issued by the CM House read.
“We regret the loss of precious human lives including security personnel in the incident,” the CM added.
The chief minister said the sacrifice of martyrs will not go in vain and added that the culprits will be brought to justice.
Meanwhile, seven personnel of a cellular company were abducted by unidentified armed men in the Matta area of Swat.
Sources said that they had come to repair a cell tower.
The cellular company employees were kidnapped while they were busy in their official work.
The abducted employees include engineer Yousuf Shah, Muhammad Khalid, Arsalan, Muhammad Afsarul Mulk, labour Waqt Ali and driver Abdul Hakeem.
It was also reported that PML-N MPA Sardar Khan in Swat received a threatening phone call from Taliban.
The MPA was asked to pay extortion money and warned of serious consequences otherwise.
A case was registered on the complaint of MPA’s son Asif Sardar.PTI leader Murad Saeed came hard on the government after the Swat incident asking how come “cross-border infiltration” was taking place when the border was fenced.
In a statement on social media, he said the authorities claimed that the security situation in Swat was stable and that propaganda was being carried out in this regard.
“We are seeing that our future is being compromised. Our children, future and peace are once again being pushed into the war but you (mainstream media) remained silent on these issues,” he said.
Murad urged the authorities concerned to take notice of the situation in Swat and take action.
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