Under attack: Driver and khasadar official injured in firing on NATO vehicles

Two senior khasadars suspended for not being on duty to escort the container.

JAMRUD: A driver and  khasadar official were injured in separate incidents when unidentified militants attacked Nato containers in Jamrud tehsil, Khyber Agency on Friday.

In the first incident, a driver was injured when militants travelling on a motorcycle opened fire at a Nato container in Sur Kamar. A political administration (PA) official, Asmatullah Wazir, said the incident occurred around 10am when the accused intercepted the vehicle and opened fire.

The driver narrowly escaped with minor injuries as he hid behind the steering wheel and sped away. Khasadars rushed to the site but the militants had fled after the firing. The driver, identified as Juma Khan, was taken to Jamrud Civil Hospital and then referred to Hayatabad Medical Complex where he was stated to be in stable condition.



According to PA official Asmatullah added Jamrud Assistant Political Agent Jehangir Azam Wazir suspended two senior khasadar officials, Syed Alam and Khizar Khayat, for not being present to escort the container en-route to Afghanistan.

In a separate incident, militants attacked another convoy on its way to Peshawar from Torkham border around 3:30pm. However, the khasadar on duty, Shoaib Afridi, opened fire at the militants forcing them to flee. In the crossfire, the official was hit twice with one bullet striking his arm and another piercing his chest.

Khasadar Line officer Khandad Afridi said the convoy came under attack near Karkhano check post. The convoy safely crossed the agency while the injured was rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital in critical condition, added Afridi.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2013.