Three seminarians lose lives in Bannu mortar blast

BANNU: Three students of a madrassa lost their lives in a mortar shell explosion outside a religious seminary at the Janikhel area in Bannu.

According to the police, students from Madrassa Noor-ul-Quran had found the mortar shell outside the seminary and were reportedly playing with it when it detonated, taking the lives of three students.

The victims were identified as Zeeshan and Wahab, sons of Obaidullah, and Alamzeb, son of Jahangir, all residents of Janikhel. It was learnt that the mortar shell was found in the nearby mountains. The bodies of the deceased students were transported to District Headquarters Hospital Bannu for post-mortem examinations.

The officials at the Janikhel Police Station registered a case and initiated an investigation into the incident.The incident sparked concerns about the presence of unexploded ordnance in the area with residents urging authorities to conduct thorough clearance operations to prevent such happenings in the future.

Meanwhile, an overnight armed assault on Basiakhel Police Station was thwarted by the swift response of the police personnel, forcing the attackers to flee.It was learnt that unidentified assailants launched the attack under the cover of darkness, engaging the police in a heavy exchange of fire that lasted approximately 20 minutes.

The attackers also used hand grenades during the assault. However, the police, remaining vigilant and prepared, repulsed the attack without sustaining any casualties. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Bannu Range, Imran Shahid, praised the bravery of the cops and said the police were fully alert and capable of handling such attacks.

Also, traffic jams have become a daily ordeal for residents and traders in Bannu due to the ongoing closure of Jumma Khan Road and Police Line Road, over security concerns.The disruption has severely impacted mobility, with routes diverted to narrow Supply Road and Kuchehri Road, causing traffic congestion. The road closures, which began days ago in response to deteriorating law and order, have led to gridlock across major intersections in the Bannu city.

Shoaib Sadozai Advocate, General Secretary of the Bannu Bar Association, said that lack of a proper traffic plan was making life miserable for the people.He said that the traffic wardens often remained absent from key intersections in the Bannu city. He asked the senior police officers to take notice of the situation to provide relief to the people.