Four police personnel, including a traffic police in-charge, were martyred in two separate firing incidents by unidentified terrorists in Bannu and Lakki Marwat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Aaj News reported on Sunday.
In an incident, a police officer identified as Rashid Khan was targeted by unidentified motorcyclists in the Kafshi Khel area, within the jurisdiction of Mandan Police Station in Bannu. The officer sustained fatal injuries and passed away on the spot.
A second attack occurred in the Serai Naurang area of Lakki Marwat. Terrorists opened fire on traffic police personnel performing routine duties on the Bannu-Lakki Road. The assault resulted in the martyrdom of Jalal Khan (traffic in-charge), Azizullah (constable) and Abdullah (constable).
The assailants managed to flee the scene following the shooting. Security forces and local police have cordoned off both areas, launching extensive search operations to apprehend the perpetrators.
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Lakki Marwat Police, in a statement on Facebook, said the funeral prayers for the police officers martyred in a cowardly attack by Fitna al-Khawarij were offered with full state honours.
President, PM pray for martyred policemen
In separate statements, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of police personnel in the firing incidents.
The president paid tribute to the sacrifices of the martyred police officers and prayed for their high ranks as well as for the patience of the bereaved families.
“The services and sacrifices of the police and security forces for the establishment of law and order are a matter of pride,” stated President Zardari.
PM Shehbaz also prayed for the high ranks of the martyred police officers and offered his condolences to the bereaved families.
He remarked that the police have always played the role of a vanguard in the establishment of law and order.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attacks, stating that the sacrifices of the police would not go in vain. He vowed that the provincial government would bring the elements responsible for these nefarious terror incidents to justice.
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Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed his condolences and sought a formal report from high-ranking officials. The governor emphasised that the provincial government must prioritise the restoration of peace and the safety of the public over political distractions.