Two khasadar officials were killed on Sunday when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire at them in Khyber Agency, while two guards of the Industrial Estate Security Force, Hayatabad were also shot dead in the provincial capital.
Khyber Agency
According to Jamrud Assistant Political Agent Roshan Mehsud, khasadar officials Wahab Khan and Rehman Shah were heading home to Bar Qamaberkhel after duty hours. When they reached Charmaro, Shakas, unidentified motorcyclists opened fire at them.
Mehsud said the two officials sustained severe injuries and were rushed to a hospital. However, they could not survive the trip.
Political Tehsildar Irshad Khan said the administration sent a contingent of the khasadar force to the crime scene and also conducted a search operation. No arrests had been made till the filing of this report.
Hayatabad
Separately, two security guards were killed on the premises of the Hayatabad Industrial Estate, Peshawar.
Cantonment SP Faisal Kamran told The Express Tribune that both victims were private guards and were attacked by unidentified motorcyclists while they were on duty. As a result of the firing, Akhtar Zaman was killed on the spot, while Imran was left severely injured. Kamran added that the attackers managed to escape.
Both men were rushed to Hayatabad Medical Complex where Imran also succumbed to his injuries after battling for his life for about 15 minutes.
“They belonged to a group of private guards who assist the police in safeguarding the industrial estate,” said Industrialists Association Peshawar President Malik Niaz while expressing his regret over the unfortunate incident.
“This group was formed by industrialists about five years ago after an increase was reported in kidnapping cases from the estate in broad daylight.”
Niaz added that the number of guards has been increased after a rise in recent extortion cases and attacks on industrial units. Their duty is to patrol the estate along with the police and man all entry and exit points, he said.
Many well-known industrialists have been leaving Peshawar, along with their families, for Dubai and America recently after receiving threats and letters demanding millions of dollars in extortion.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak condemned the murders of the two security guards at the industrial estate said a handout issued on Sunday evening.
Khattak also announced financial compensation of Rs500,000 under the Shuhada Package for the “valiant guards who sacrificed their lives but did not allow miscreants to enter the industrial zone and cause damage to any installations there,” read the handout.
Khattak directed authorities to immediately conduct an enquiry into the killings. The chief minister also prayed for the departed souls and sympathised with the aggrieved families.
The handout further stated that the provincial government is taking concrete steps to eliminate targeted killings of security officials and kidnapping for ransom.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2014.
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