PESHAWAR: The provincial capital Saturday witnessed fresh wave of violence as unidentified motorcyclists shot dead a police official while two major terrorist bids were foiled as explosives planted in the Michini Gate locality and Paharipura were defused in time.
The security in the provincial capital has been beefed up following more threats of attacks.Police said Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, in-charge of the computer sections in the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines, was attacked by armed motorcyclists in Akhundabad when he left for office from home.
He was rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital but he succumbed to injuries. On Thursday, eight policemen were wounded in a bomb attack on patrolling car on Warsak Road. One constable was killed when a patrolling party came under bomb attack on Pajaggi Road on Wednesday.
Violence has increased in Peshawar as well as Mardan, Swabi and other nearby districts in the last few weeks. Two major terrorist bids were thwarted in the provincial capital on Saturday morning as an improvised explosive devices (IED) planted in the Michini Gate locality and near the railway track under a flyover in Paharipura were defused in time.
The officials said some suspects were also arrested.The first incident happened in the limits of Michini Gate Police Station after reorts that a bomb was planted in the area.
“A four kilogram bomb was defused in Michini Gate before it could go off,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mohammad Tahir told.
The cops cleared a passenger bus on the University Road when it was reported that the suspects were planting an IED in it. Later, the bomb disposal unit officials rushed to the Pir Zakori Bridge on the Grand Trunk Road following reports that a bomb had been planted near the flyover and the railway track. The police blocked the road for traffic from all sides as the BDU experts swept the area with explosive detectors.
The search continued for quite some time before the BDU men detected and defused a four kilogram IED placed under the flyover near the railway track.“Another four kilogram IED planted near the flyover was also defused,” said the CCPO. Mohammad Tahir added that the policemen and officers of the capital city were alert and making all-out efforts to ensure peace in the provincial capital.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani announced cash rewards and certificates for the cops for foiling the terror bids.
Meanwhile, the capital city police officials said that a search and strike operation was carried out in the capital city during which 71 suspects and 34 proclaimed offenders were arrested.
The official said 14 persons were arrested for failing to ensure proper security for the buildings under their supervision.
Meanwhile, the capital city police have chalked out security plan for Eidul Azha with deployment of 4,300 policemen for maintaining law and order in trade centres, cattle markets, mosques and entry points to the city.
Security will remain on high alert in Peshawar and other districts due to threats of sabotage bids during the holy festival. Cops in all the police stations have been alerted. As many as 21 special units of the Quick Response and Rapid Response Force will be patrolling roads in the city along with the regular police.
According to an official of the city police, 1056 security personnel have been deployed for security of around 175 major mosques. Besides, 600 cops will be performing duty at 60 trade centres.
Around 101 policemen will be deployed on entry points while 303 will be posted at checking points in different parts of the city. Around 1,000 cops with 118 policemen will be assigned other security duties during Eid.
