Precarious situation: Blast injures four security officials

Earlier this week, a suicide bomber detonated his vest prematurely.

SWAT: Four security officials were critically injured in a remote-controlled blast in Talegram area of Charbagh tehsil, Swat on Friday.

DIG Malakand Range Abdullah Khan told journalists the incident occurred at around 11am when security officials were en route to the mountainous Mian Shiekh Baba check post located two kilometres away from the army headquarters. The explosive device planted in a pressure cooker along the road went off as the security forces’ vehicle was passing by.

Khan said 10 kilogrammes of explosives were used as a result of which hawaldar Rashid, Madad Khan, Bilal and Azhar Iqbal were seriously wounded. They were rushed to a hospital where they were said to be in critical condition.

The DIG said 50 suspects were arrested in a subsequent search operation in the area.

“After the recent incidents in Swat, a crackdown has been launched against criminals in Buner, Shangla and other adjoining districts of Malakand division,” added DIG Khan.

Khan said police vigilance could be gauged from the fact that they prevented a suicide bomber from reaching his target and foiled the attempt. Earlier this week, a militant wearing a suicide vest was surrounded by security forces and locals, forcing him to detonate the vest prematurely in Sarha Chena area of Charbagh. Police maintained Dr Farooq, who is a member of a village defence committee and also runs a clinic, was the intended target.

Meanwhile, security forces also launched a massive search operation after Friday’s blast and arrested 64 suspects who were shifted to an unknown location for further interrogation.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2014.