Brothers in arms: ASI Aslam’s selflessness costs him his life

Police official risked shifting his injured colleagues to LRH only to be ambushed again.

PESHAWAR:

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Aslam Khan was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Kaptan Korona, Shaheedabad, Charsadda, on Tuesday. Khan lost his life while trying to save those of his colleagues.

Two officials were injured when militants attacked a police van on Kohat Road late Monday night. The wounded then called for backup and Aslam reached the site, along with other policemen, to shift the injured in his car. However, militants then ambushed Aslam’s vehicle, killing all five policemen. Passersbys were also killed and injured in the indiscriminate firing.

Early Tuesday morning, the funeral of the slain policemen was held at Police Lines where the provincial government was conspicuous by its absence as no minister or legislator was present to show solidarity with the men in uniform.

An act of bravery

ASI Aslam was born on January 1, 1968 in Kaptan Korona and joined the police force on June 27, 1987, after passing his matric exams. He served in more than 20 police stations and was presently serving as the in charge of Zangali police post in Badhaber.

“He was a courageous man who decided to shift two of his injured colleagues to Lady Reading Hospital despite being aware of the presence of militants in the area and having been warned that they could carry out another ambush,” an official of the Badhaber police station told The Express Tribune.

“They (police officials) had only two AK-47 rifles with them in the car. As one man was driving and two officials were already injured, the five men proved to be an easy target for the heavily-armed militants who were waiting to ambush them,” he said, adding they also took away the officials’ weapons after killing all of them.

‘He loved being a father’

Liaqat Ali, one of the constables shot dead in the attack, was a resident of Mohallah Qazian, Chamkani and reportedly lived a life mired in poverty after his father’s early demise.

Ali was one of six brothers and was very happy to have joined the police force in 2008 as it meant a fixed monthly salary, compared to his previous meagre daily wage job in a construction company.

“He has a daughter who is almost a year old. He loved being a father,” said one of his neighbours.

Constables Nazar Muhammad and Subhanuddin were laid to rest in Badhaber and Sheikhan, respectively. They were contractual employees of the special police force whereas Constable Muhammad Zakir of the elite force was laid to rest in Gumbad village on Dalazak Road.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2014.