QUETTA/ PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Seven people, including five security forces’ personnel, were Sunday martyred in separate incidents of suicide car bombing and terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
At least five people — including three security forces personnel and two civilians — were martyred and around 40 injured in a suicide car bombing near a security forces convoy on Quetta-Taftan National Highway near Nushki district on Sunday, while a policeman and a security forces official were martyred and another was injured in attacks in the limits of three police stations on the night between Saturday and Sunday.
The security forces killed three terrorists and launched a massive operation in the area to neutralize the militants involved in the attack.
ISPR — the military’s media wing — confirmed the suicide bombing saying five people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and two civilians, were martyred in the attack.
The deceased included Havaldar Manzoor Ali 38; Havaldar Ali Bilawal, 39; Naik Abdul Raheem, 34; and civilian drivers Jalal ud Din and Muhammad Naeem.
In the ensuing sanitization operation, the terrorists were pursued and after intense fire exchange, three terrorists were effectively neutralised.
The statement said the security forces, in step with the nation, remained determined to thwarting the attempts to sabotage peace, stability and progress of Balochistan.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Officials said an FC convoy of eight vehicles — including six coaches and two cars — was on its way to Nokundi from Quetta and when it reached near Darkhshan flour mill near Nushki on Quetta-Taftan National Highway, a powerful explosion took place near a coach followed by a car suicide bombing.
“The bomber crashed his explosives-laden car into one of the coaches and detonated it, resulting in casualties and injuries,” a senior security official said, adding that the coach caught fire after the explosion. However, five other coaches and two cars remained safe.
Following the bombing, armed militants hiding in the nearby mountainous opened a heavy fire targeting the other vehicles. The security forces immediately returned the fire. The exchange of fire continued for over an hour.
Helicopters were also witnessed hovering in the area during the security forces operation.
Local authorities said the bodies and injured were shifted to the Nushki Teaching Hospital.
“Five bodies and over three dozen injured were brought to the hospital,” a senior officer told this reporter.
Officials said two helpers of the coach, who got injured in the suicide car bombing, were operated at CMH, Quetta and were out of danger now.
Arshad Aziz Malik reports: In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, around two dozen terrorist attacks were carried out in different districts within 36 hours, speaking volumes for the worst law and order in the province.
The attacks that started Friday night continued till Sunday in one of the worst waves of terrorism, keeping the law enforcers on toes.
The police force was put on alert after the unprecedented attacks.
Most of the attacks targeted police stations and posts as well as establishments of other forces in over a dozen districts, including Peshawar, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, South Waziristan, Karak, Kohat, Bajaur, Khyber and other districts.
The casualties were not high, as the police were mostly alert to thwart them.
In some areas, the local people also came out to support the cops and fight against the attackers.
At least four policemen and one security forces’ official were martyred in these attacks while around 16 others were wounded.
In Peshawar, a police constable, Nazar Ali, was martyred and another cop was wounded in an attack on the Pajaggi police post in the limits of Michini Police Station.
A policeman and a security forces official were martyred and another was injured in Karak where attacks were carried out in the limits of three police stations on the night between Saturday and Sunday.
At least nine police stations and posts came under attack in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Tank from Friday night till Sunday morning.
Officials said the cops repulsed all the attacks with the support of local people.
The attacks started with targeting four police stations — Bakakhel, Ghoriwala, Pezu and Dadiwala — and two posts — Abbas Khattak and Khojari — in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.
Apart from police, a firebrand religious scholar Mufti Munir Shakir was targeted in a bomb attack at the entrance to a mosque in Urmar village on Saturday. He was laid to rest on Sunday.
He was wounded in the blast along with three others but later succumbed to injuries at a hospital.
Police and bomb disposal experts said around 600 grams of explosives were used in the IED that targeted Munir Shakir.
The spokesman for the KP Police told The News that successive attacks on police stations and outposts in Bannu, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Peshawar during the last two nights were successfully repulsed by the brave cops.
The official said the alert cops of the KP Police responded to the attacks with great bravery and courage.
The official said two terrorists were also gunned down in Karak and Lakki Marwat when the police responded. He added that the people of the area also stood by the police, setting an example of public support.
The spokesman said temporary hideouts of terrorists on the boundary between Karak and Lakki Marwat were destroyed, while one terrorist was killed during a search operation after the attack on Abbas Khattak post.
During the operation, the spokesman added, Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed was in contact with the district police officers of Lakki Marwat and Karak.
The official said one terrorist was killed, while several others were injured in the exchange of fire after the attack on police post Nasran in Tank district.
He added an important commander Kashif of Shakarkhel, the terrorist commander of Kaleemullah group, was eliminated in Karak.
He said the brave people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa openly came out to support the police force against terrorists.
The spokesman said IGP Zulfiqar Hameed appreciated the support of the people for the police and said the KP police with the cooperation of other law enforcement agencies and the public will uproot terrorism.
Meanwhile, curfew has been imposed in parts of Tank and South Waziristan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the security situation.
According to an order by the deputy commissioner Tank, curfew has been imposed from 6am on Monday from Kor Qala till Jandolar and some other parts.
Authorities in South Waziristan announced the closure of several key roads tomorrow from 6:00am to 6:00pm, citing security concerns.
The restrictions will affect major travel routes, with a complete ban on movement during the specified hours. According to an official notification, the routes that will remain closed include Zalai to New Cadet College Wana, Tanai - Sarwakai - Jandola - Kaur Fort, Ahmadwam to Kotkai, and Bibi Ragzai to Jandola.
Authorities have urged the residents and commuters to plan accordingly and opt for alternative routes.
Strict enforcement of the closure is expected, and security officials have advised the public to comply with the restrictions to avoid inconvenience.
The temporary closure is likely to impact daily movement in the region, particularly affecting travelers and transporters. However, officials have assured that the measure is necessary for maintaining security.
Talking to this correspondent, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed said there was a risk of an increase in terrorist incidents in the province but the police were fully prepared to deal with any situation.
He confirmed that several key Taliban commanders had been killed in various encounters over the past few days, leading to retaliatory actions by terrorists.
He said the operations against terrorists were going on in various districts of the province, inflicting heavy human and financial losses on them.
Several attacks have been foiled due to joint actions by the security forces and police, while multiple terrorists have also been arrested.
Zulfiqar Hameed reassured that the situation was under control, and there was no need for the public to panic. He said it had already been anticipated that as the winter ended, terrorist activities could increase, and the police had formulated their strategy accordingly.
The IGP emphasised that restoring law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the top priority, and all possible measures were being taken in this regard.
He added that the police force was equipped with modern weapons and technology and will not allow terrorists to succeed under any circumstances.
In light of the recent wave of terrorism, the police have declared a high security alert across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with increased patrolling in sensitive areas.
The public has also been urged to immediately report any suspicious activity to the police to help neutralise the potential threats in a timely manner.
Syed Yasir Shah adds from Kohat: A joint operation by police and security forces in the mountainous border region of Kohat and Karak has resulted in the elimination of a key militant affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to District Police Officer (DPO) Karak, Shahbaz Elahi, the militant, identified as Kashif, was killed during the operation.
Kashif was a high-ranking TTP member who, along with his associates, launched an attack on multiple police stations last night.
During the operation, several other terrorists sustained injuries but managed to escape.
“Blood trails have been found at various spots, indicating that some of the fleeing militants are seriously wounded,” said DPO Elahi.
Security forces have launched a large-scale search operation to track down the remaining terrorists in the area. Authorities have urged local residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Earlier, a cop and a security man were martyred when terrorists attacked two police stations and a gas pipeline in different parts of Karak.
Police sources said Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Islam Noor, a resident of Karak, was martyred when terrorists attacked the Takht-i-Nusrati Police Station on Saturday night. The cops repulsed the attack.
In another attack, two security men deployed on a Gas Sales Meter Station (SMS) sustained injuries at Isak Khumari area of Banda Daud Shah Tehsil when terrorists attacked them.
One injured security man succumbed to injuries before getting any medical treatment.
The second injured security man was shifted to civil hospital Teri.
In the third incident, some unidentified miscreants attacked Khuram Police Station but escaped when the cops returned the fire.
District Police Officer Shahbaz Ilahi said the police successfully retaliated against the attackers and foiled their nefarious designs.
APP reports: The speaker of National Assembly has called an in-camera meeting of Parliamentary Committee on National Security on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 1.30 pm on the advice of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The military leadership will brief the parliamentary committee about the security situation in the hall of the National Assembly.
Besides cabinet members, the parliamentary leaders and their nominated representatives belonging to all political parties in the Parliament will attend the meeting.
The terror incidents have drawn a strong condemnation of the country’s political leadership.
In a statement, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incidents of terrorism in KP and Balochistan and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious human lives.
The premier prayed to Allah Almighty to elevate the rank of the martyrs and offered heartfelt condolences with the bereaved families.
He also prayed for an early recovery of the injured and directed that they be provided with best possible treatment.
He said, “Such cowardly acts cannot deter our resolve to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.
He also condemned firing on the convoy of Sindh Assembly Member Jam Mehtab Dahar and expressed deep grief over the death of a guard.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the bomb blast in Nushki and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious human lives.
In a statement, the chief minister expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and vowed to take stringent measures to ensure that those responsible for the attack would face justice.
Bugti condemned the attack as a cowardly act and reiterated that such attempts to disrupt peace and development process in Balochistan would not succeed.
He emphasized that the terrorists behind such attacks would find no shelter in the province.