Constable martyred, 2 police posts attacked

Both terrorists and law enforcement agencies had a field day across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Friday as two police posts were attacked in Swat and Lakki Marwat and one constable was shot dead in Kohat district.

Three terrorists were killed in encounters by Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), police and security forces in Swat and Lakki Marwat operations.

A police constable was shot dead around midnight in Kohat’s Gumbat area who was on his way home from duty.

“Constable Saifullah was currently posted at district security branch of police and after completion of duty he was on his way home when unidentified men opened fire at him, killing him on the spot,” said a police official while talking to The Express Tribune.

The official said that the slain policeman was the son of former district nazim Kohat Dilbar Khan Advocate and was from a very influential family.

“He was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” he said, adding that it was clearly a case of terrorism.

The deceased left behind a widow, two sons and two daughters.

The last rites of the police constable were offered at Kohat Police Lines after which the coffin was sent to the deceased’s ancestral graveyard for burial.

Three terrorists killed

In Tang Darra of Lakki Marwat district two terrorists were killed in an intelligence based operation in the mountainous region.

Police and security forces conducted an IBO after receiving information about a camp of militants in the mountains. Terrorists offered stiff resistance and two of them were killed in the exchange of fire. The rest managed to escape.

The operation was started on Thursday evening and continued till Friday morning. One suspected militant was also arrested.

In Swat CTD claimed thwarting a terrorism plot and killing one terrorist.

CTD and police conducted a search operation in Maglor area of the district. During the IBO operation terrorists fired at police vehicles and one of them was killed in return fire. The terrorist was later identified as Adil Zeb resident of Manglor. Police claimed that he was involved in IED attack at peace committee member Idrees Khan and targeted attack at Shirin Khan. One terrorist managed to escape in injured condition.

Police stations attacked

In a more brazen move, militants attacked a police station and threw three hand grenades at it in Lakki Marwat. Police, however, responded with agility and the attackers were forced to flee.

There was no loss of life in the attack.

In a separate incident in Swat, terrorists attacked the residential quarters of DSP Saidu Sharif but the attack was repulsed and the attackers escaped under the cover of darkness.

All the three incidents caused widespread panic in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2022.