Body of SP Tahir Khan Dawar brought back to Pakistan: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office said that the sad episode of retrieval of the body of SP Tahir Khan Dawar, following his brutal murder in Afghanistan two days ago, ended as an official delegation brought it back on Thursday.

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and pray for the Maghfirah of the departed soul,” said a statement issued by the foreign affairs ministry.

After the news of Mr. Dawar's death broke out on the evening of 13 November 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul immediately contacted Afghan authorities for confirmation of the news and handing over of the body of the deceased to Pakistan.

The Ambassador of Pakistan had asked the Afghan government to immediately send the mortal remains foregoing routine formalities. 

Separately, Pakistan army has condemned brutal murder of SP Tahir Dawar in Afghanistan.

In a statement here Thursday the ISPR said, "Brutal murder of SP Tahir in Afghanistan is highly condemnable. We have lost a brave police officer."

It further says Tahir Dawar's abduction, move to Afghanistan, murder and follow up behaviour of Afghan authorities raise questions which indicate involvement or resources more than a terrorist organisation in Afghanistan.

While investigations by Pakistani authorities are in process, we reiterate that Afghan security forces to cooperate in border fencing and bilateral border security coordination to deny use of Afghan territory against Pakistan, it added.

Tahir Dawar had gone missing in Islamabad on October 26 and nobody in the government and the police had any clue about his whereabouts. Teams of the Peshawar Police were at the Torkham crossing point on the second day on Tuesday to receive the body of the slain senior cop. However, they didn't receive it till late Tuesday evening. The police had even made arrangements for his funeral prayers at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines in Peshawar since Tuesday.

KP Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai told reporters that the police party and officials waited for the body of Dawar at Torkham. He added the body could not be handed over on Wednesday.