Aircraft attack: Over 30 arrested in early morning search operation

Suleman Khel, Masho Khel and parts of Sheikh Muhammadi were raided.

PESHAWAR: At least 32 people were arrested on suspicion in a search operation in several villages which fall under Badhaber police station. The operation was launched at 3am after an alleged attack on a PIA flight from Saudi Arabia was reported on Saturday night.

The door-to-door search continued for at least five hours in Suleman Khel, Masho Khel and parts of Sheikh Muhammadi.



“There are certain areas where planes descend to a very low altitude shortly before landing at Bacha Khan International Airport,” said an official of the police station. “This provides miscreants an opportunity to attack from the ground with just ordinary assault rifles.”

He added four police patrols cover most of these villages after nightfall and security forces had also been deployed there, “but last night’s attack was from a different location.”

The official said, “Those arrested have been taken to the police station for interrogation. The attack was carried out by at least three people who fired using sub-machineguns but the aircraft was not hit.”

According to the airport manager, Tahir Sikander, there was no attack; only celebratory firing which was mistaken by the police as an attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2014.