On January 17, ASI Arshad Mehmood, Head Constable Munawer Hussain and three constables from Islamabad Capital Territory Police were assigned snap checking at G8 Chaman Road. At around 9:30pm they were shot at in the Karachi Company area in G-9 Sector. Their assailants were two unidentified motorcyclists. Head Constable Munawer and Constables Rashid and Roz Amen succumbed to their injuries after being rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Head Constable Munawar Hussain died on the spot.

Islamabad Police officials have said the shootout took place in the Karachi Company area. They say the assailants, who were carrying automatic weapons, opened fire on the police party when they were stopped for checking.

“The policemen shot back. In the exchange of fire that followed the policemen shot and killed both their assailants. However, the head constable too lost his life in the incident. Two constables sustained injuries in the shootout and were taken to the PIMS hospital,” a spokesperson for Islamabad Police said.

According to some foreign media outlets, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) released a statement shortly afterwards claiming responsibility for the attack. It acknowledged the death of both its gunmen.

Funeral prayers for the martyred Munawer Hussain were offered at the ICT Police headquarters. Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Inspector General of Islamabad Police Ahsan Younus and other senior officials were in attendance.

Sheikh Rasheed later said this was the first incident of the kind for the year. He said it apparently marked the start of a new wave of terrorist activities in Islamabad. “This is not an incident of robbery, or street crime. It was clearly a targetted terrorist attack.”

According to ICT Police records, 55 police officers belonging to Islamabad Police force have lost their lives in the line of duty. Head Constable Munawer Hussain had joined Islamabad Police on February 23, 1984. He is survived by a wife, two sons and four daughters.

Inspector General Ahsan Younus assumed charge of his office on December 8, 2021. On that occasion he had met with the families of the martyred officers and assured them of full support from the Police Department.

Younus had said: “Our soldiers, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, are our crown jewels. We are all indebted to the families of those martyred.”

“We will utilise all available resources to address the problems faced by their families,” he had said.

January 20 marked another black day in the history of Islamabad Police. After the deadly attack on Islamabad Police, Lahore’s Anarkali area was rattled by a bomb blast leaving three dead. The deceased included 9 year old. Another 26 people were injured. Punjab Police told the media that high intensity explosives were used in the attack.

The terrorist attack targetting Islamabad Police is not the first of its nature. Islamabad Police have had to deal with similar threats in the past.

In 2008, a suicide bomber had exploded a bomb inside a police circle, after the culmination of Lal Masjid Shuhda Conference, when thousands of seminary students were there to mark the first anniversary of Lal Masjid Operation. The incident had left 17 people dead. The deceased had included 15 policemen. Another 40 were injured in the blast.

Eight officers lost their lives in another terrorist attack at Abpara Market.

“The loss is painful. It’s hard losing a family member. Yet, it leaves us with a commitment to continue our duties in honour of their sacrifice,” says Rana Wahab, the Potohar, Rawalpindi, SP who has previously served as in charge of Operations in Islamabad.

Talking about the martyrs, he says he is indebted to the families and takes pride in their resilience.

In another incident, a head constable was gunned down at F8 district courts in March 2014. According to Advocate Rai Azhar Hussain, who was awarded a medal for his bravery on the occasion, four to six terrorists had appeared at the district courts as he was on his way to his chamber. He says he heard gunshots and initially thought it was an armed clash between two groups.

In no time, however, a long haired, bearded man wearing a camouflage jacket and carrying guns and hand grenades pushed him to the ground and told him to recite the kalima as his time was up. Realising now that it was a terrorist attack, Rai Azhar pushed him back and ran to his chamber.

The terrorist followed him and entered his chamber. He was shot seven times and left to bleed. When the Rangers regained control, Rai Azhar was rushed to a hospital.

In November 1995, an explosion had rocked the Egyptian embassy killing 13 people, including Constable Abdul Mannan. Mannan had been on duty at the entrance and is recognised as the first martyr in the line of duty in a terrorist attack.

Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul, terrorist attacks have been on the rise in Pakistan. The country witnessed a 42 percent increase in terrorist strikes during 2021 over the previous year.

The Pakistan Security Report 2021, published by Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS) claims that the TTP, its affiliates, Baloch separatists and Islamic State (Khorasan Province) remained the major actors in 2021.

According to the Pakistan Security Report 2021,”Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province witnessed the highest number of terror incidents, where 169 people lost their lives during 111 terrorist attacks... In Balochistan, 136 people lost their lives in 81 terrorist attacks. In the Punjab and Federal Capital, seven terrorist attacks were recorded with 17 people losing their lives.”

The report also said that the TTP had claimed responsibility for 87 terrorist attacks, which was an increase of about 84 percent over the previous year.

The writer is an Islamabad based journalist and documentary producer.

Email: jranasahmed18@yahoo.com