LAHORE/PESHAWAR - At least four policemen including an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent were martyred and several others wounded as terrorists attacked two police stations in the Punjab and Khyber Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, officials said Saturday. In a statement issued on Saturday, the terrorist group, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed both the gun and bomb attacks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the policemen. He expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of a Deputy Superintendent of police and two police personnel in the attack in KP. He said the sacrifices of police and law enforcement agencies were unforgettable. According to police sources, a police post came under attack in Punjab’s Taunsa district late Friday night. A policeman was martyred and another one was critically injured in the attack. Reportedly, there were around nine terrorists who attacked the police party. In Peshawar, militants shot dead three police officers on the outskirts of the city, authorities said, the latest violence in the restive northwestern region bordering Afghanistan. A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) along with two of his gunmen was targeted by sniper fire as they rushed to counter the attack on a police station in Sarband, Peshawar, police said. A search operation was underway in the area till late Sunday. The sarband police station in the provincial capital was attacked by militants. Police said heavy firing and explosions have been reported from the vicinity as reinforcements were called. Senior superintendent of operations Kashif Aftab Abbasi told reporters that the three officers martyred as they chased militants who had earlier attacked a police station with hand grenades, sniper guns and automatic weapons in Sarband, near Peshawar. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said the central government was deeply concerned about deteriorating law and order in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Peshawar is located. He criticised local authorities for failing to learn from previous assaults, including a militant takeover and hostage situation at a counter-terror department in Bannu district. “Terrorists are attacking police stations, policemen and officers are being targeted,” said Khan. “It seems that the provincial government has not learned any lesson even from Bannu CTD headquarters,” he said, referring to the counter-terror department that was seized by militants. He said the local chief minister’s priority was politics not peace and, with even local police not safe from attacks, he asked what would happen to the safety of ordinary people. Punjab IGP orders crackdown against terrorists Punjab Police Inspector General Aamir Zulfiqar Khan Friday directed to accelerate massive crackdown under zero tolerance against terrorists and criminals involved in attacks on police teams. He issued these instructions on Saturday, while presiding over a high-level meeting at the RPO office DG Khan. IG Punjab was informed about the preliminary investigation of the terrorist attack on the police post in Taunsa Sharif. IG Punjab emphasised upon taking terrorists as well as their facilitators to their ultimate end. He directed to increase the number of personnel at police check posts in border area and expert snipers should also be deputed along with modern resources. IG Punjab ordered DIG Admin and Establishment South Punjab Muhammad Saleem to send detailed inquiry report of Taunsa Sharif incident to CPO within 24 hours. He said that there should be no delay in taking action against those responsible for negligence while conducting an inquiry from all aspects of the incident. IG Punjab directed that the Additional IG South Punjab should personally monitor the police operations in sensitive areas including Kacha area and reports of search and combing operations should be sent to the Central Police Office on a daily basis. IG Punjab said that in order to further strengthen the rule of law in Kacha area, full-fledged operations should be conducted against organised criminal gangs. Police teams should increase patrolling in sensitive areas while supervisory officers should monitor the operations themselves. Aamir Zulfiqar Khan directed that more resources, modern weapons and additional personnel will be provided to the police teams for the operation against the anti-social elements. IG Punjab said that coordination and information sharing with Sindh and Balochistan police should be improved to end movement of criminals. Additional IGs South Punjab, Special Branch, CTD, RPO DG Khan, DIG Operations Punjab, DPO DG Khan and other officers participated in the meeting. Earlier, IG Punjab attended the funeral prayer of Shaheed Head Constable Mazhar Iqbal at Police Lines DG Khan. IG Punjab laid flowers on the dead body of the martyr and recited Fateha for higher ranks of martyr. The IG Punjab paid tribute to eternal sacrifice of the martyr and said that the officers and officials of the department who embraced martyrdom were real gems of department and heroes of the nation. The IG Punjab vowed to ensure provision of best welfare to families of martyrs. He met the heirs of the martyr and said that terrorist elements cannot demoralize us with such actions. The blood of the martyred son of Punjab Police would not go in vain. He said that we would not hesitate to make any sacrifice to protect life and property of people. A large number of citizens including police officers and officials, media representatives, lawyers, political and social personalities participated in the funeral prayer. After the funeral prayer, the body of the martyr was sent to his native village where he will be buried with full official honors. Furthermore, IG Punjab Aamir Zulfiqar Khan visited Nishtar Hospital Multan and also met police official Mohammad Ramzan who was injured in the attack on Taunsa Sharif police post. He inquired from the doctors about the health of the injured official Muhammad Ramzan. IG Punjab while directing the provision of best medical facilities for the speedy recovery of the injured officer, said that the injured personnel Muhammad Ramzan should be provided with the best care and all possible support. Additional IGs Special Branch, CTD, DIG Operations Punjab and other officers including CPO Multan were also present on this occasion.
Imran gun attack case: JIT nominates another three accused