PESHAWAR: Three policemen were martyred and at least seven people were injured on Thursday in a blast in the Bara Bazar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district, a police official said.
KP Inspector General (IG) Akhtar Hayat confirmed that the attack took place in a tehsil office’s compound. Each district has a tehsil office, which is where local government officials perform their duties.
In a statement, IG Hayat said that two suicide attackers had tried to enter the premises of the tehsil office — one from the main gate and the other from the rear.
He stated that both the attackers were gunned down by the police, but added that “firing and blasts were carried out by both attackers”.
Samples of their DNA have been collected for further investigation, the IG said, adding that the blast damaged the office’s main gate and the building.
Meanwhile, Khyber District Police Officer Saleem Abbas said three policemen were martyred in the attack while seven people were injured.
He added that the authorities concerned were ascertaining the amount of explosives used in the attack.
According to an earlier statement from Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) spokesperson Tuheed, two of the injured were civilians.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “strongly denounced” the attack and expressed grief and sorrow over the policeman’s martyrdom. He directed for the “best possible medical treatment” to be provided to the injured.
The premier further said that the policemen “thwarted the evil intentions of the terrorists by stopping the suspects and risking their lives”, the report said.
Stating that the personnel of law enforcement agencies risk their lives to ensure public safety, he paid tribute to the “valiant personnel”.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also condemned the incident and vowed to “root out terrorism”.
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