Terrorist involved in attack on census team killed

A policeman embraced martyrdom after terrorists belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) opened fire at the team providing security to the census team in Gara Guldad area of Kulachi tehsil in Dera Ismail Khan district, the military's media affairs wing said in a statement on Monday.

Later, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that security forces and terrorists exchanged fire last night in the area during which the militant was killed.

The terrorist, who was identified as Abdul Rasheed, was involved in several acts of terrorism against the police and security agencies and had a bounty of Rs6 million on him.

The statement said that on 13 March, terrorists opened fire on a police party deployed to provide security to the census security duty in the general Raghzai area of Tank district. Resultantly, one policeman, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom, the statement said.

Read Two policemen martyred in attack on census team

Security forces immediately cordoned off the area, blocking all possible escape routes in Tank. Later, acting on a tip-off, security forces immediately cordoned the area, blocking all possible escape routes.

“Fleeing terrorists were intercepted in general area Gara Guldad, Tehsil Kulachi, Dera Ismail Khan District. After an intense exchange of fire, terrorist commander Abdul Rasheed alias Rasheedi, was killed,” the statement read.

“The killed terrorist was wanted by police for being involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as killing of innocent civilians. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorist.”

The development came hours after two policemen deployed on census duty in Tank and Lakki Marwat districts were martyrdom while five others received injuries in terrorist attacks, police and Rescue-1122 said on Monday.

In Tank’s Kot Azam area, terrorists opened fire at a police van deployed for the security of census staff, martyring constable Khan Nawab and injuring police constables Shah Nawaz and Aslam Khan, Levies official Bismillah, Frontier Constabulary official Abdullah and driver Eid Jan.

The injured were shifted to DHQ hospital while a fresh contingent of police reached the spot, cordoned off the area and began a search operation.

On the other hand, in a similar attack in Lakki Marwat, motorcyclists opened fire at the census team in the limits of Sadar Police Station, martyring an on-duty policeman, constable Dil Jaan.

The unidentified assailants managed to escape after firing, following which a heavy police contingent rushed to surround the area for a search operation.

The attack comes as terrorism rears its ugly head again in the country with the province witnessing a spate of attacks targeting both security forces and citizens, and the seventh population and housing census of Pakistan kicked off earlier this month, while the self-enumeration portal is currently operative.

The process will end on April 1.

The survey’s fieldwork will be conducted by up to 121,000 field enumerators, who will use electronic devices to verify respondents’ information.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the data collected through this process will be utilised for public policy formulation and constituency delimitation in future general elections.