Law and order: Three ‘terrorists’ killed in shootout, police say

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

Dera Ghazi Khan police claimed to have killed three terrorism suspects in a shootout on Thursday.

A police spokesman said Muhammad Hanif and Raja Iftikhar Ahmad were being transported to a police station when five armed men riding three motorbikes attacked the police van at around 9:35 pm on Indus Highway near Taunsa Bypass.

They said the van’s tyres were damaged and the driver was forced to park on the roadside. He said the men freed Hanif and Ahmed and fled.

They said reinforcements were called and pickets were set up to capture them.

They said the men were cornered near Gajoji Pul where left their motorbikes and tried to flee on foot.

Police said Hanif, Ahmed and an unidentified man were accidentally shot dead by their own accomplices, who later fled.

Police said Hanif and Ahmed had been arrested after a pistol and three bullets used to kill one Ayaz Ahmad and an official M-5 rifle stolen from Constable Irshad Hussain had been found in their possession. These weapons were recovered Hanif’s house in a raid.

Police said the men had been on physical remand under an FIR registered on July 11 under Sections 324, 353, 186 and 394 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act.

Police said another FIR had been registered against them on April 11 under Sections 302/34 and Section 7 of the ATA. Both FIRs were registered with Taunsa city police. Their bodies were taken to Dera Ghazi Khan DHQ Hospital for post mortem examination.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2015.