‘Negligence’: PHC blames K-P govt for airport blitz
Justice Khan says the weapons were hidden in trucks carrying scrap material from Afghanistan.
PESHAWAR:
Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC) Dost Muhammad Khan on Monday blamed the provincial government and the management of Town-III for the brazen attack on Bacha Khan International Airport over the weekend.
Ten militants reportedly attacked the airport which is also a PAF base Saturday night. By Sunday all the suspected attackers had been killed. Five died when they rammed an explosive laden vehicle into one of the outer walls of the airport, three were killed in cross fire with security forces, while the remaining two detonated the suicide vests they were wearing.
Justice Khan, however, ruled out the possibility of militants smuggling such a huge cache of arms and explosives from the tribal areas. Instead, he said the weapons were hidden in trucks carrying scrap material from Afghanistan.
“Police and customs officials take bribes from truckers and importers and do not bother to check the vehicles entering Pakistan from Afghanistan,” said Justice Khan, adding that it is Afghan refugees who usually bring such material in the country.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Dr Ziaul Islam saying the Town-III management had been reconstructing shops in the residential area of University Town. Islam said the shops posed a threat as explosives planted inside them could result in loss of lives in the area.
He requested the court to issue a stay order on the construction of shops, but instead the court issued notices to K-P chief secretary and the management of Town-III seeking a reply within 10 days.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2012.
Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC) Dost Muhammad Khan on Monday blamed the provincial government and the management of Town-III for the brazen attack on Bacha Khan International Airport over the weekend.
Ten militants reportedly attacked the airport which is also a PAF base Saturday night. By Sunday all the suspected attackers had been killed. Five died when they rammed an explosive laden vehicle into one of the outer walls of the airport, three were killed in cross fire with security forces, while the remaining two detonated the suicide vests they were wearing.
Justice Khan, however, ruled out the possibility of militants smuggling such a huge cache of arms and explosives from the tribal areas. Instead, he said the weapons were hidden in trucks carrying scrap material from Afghanistan.
“Police and customs officials take bribes from truckers and importers and do not bother to check the vehicles entering Pakistan from Afghanistan,” said Justice Khan, adding that it is Afghan refugees who usually bring such material in the country.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Dr Ziaul Islam saying the Town-III management had been reconstructing shops in the residential area of University Town. Islam said the shops posed a threat as explosives planted inside them could result in loss of lives in the area.
He requested the court to issue a stay order on the construction of shops, but instead the court issued notices to K-P chief secretary and the management of Town-III seeking a reply within 10 days.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2012.