An overnight terrorist attack left three police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), martyred in Peshawar.
The assault took place in Peshawar's suburban area where terrorists ambushed the Sarband police station in Saturday's early hours, leaving three police personnel, including DSP Badaber Sardar Hussain, martyred.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has condemned the terrorist attack on Police Station Sarband and termed it a sorrowful incident.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, CM Khan said that the sacrifices of martyrs would not go waste. He said that police fought with bravery and repulsed the attack.
He added that the whole nation is standing shoulder to shoulder with the police in the war against terrorism. He prayed for the eternal peace of the martyrs and expressed his heartiest sympathies and condolence with the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan condemned the attack and offered his condolences to the martyrs' families.
Taking to Twitter, the former prime minister called for the inclusion of the KP government and police among the makers of any counterterrorism policy as the two bodies are the front liners in the fight against terrorism.
"Strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the police station. My condolences & prayers go to the families of the martyrs. The KP govt & its police force are in the frontline of fighting terrorism & must be a central part of any counterterrorism policy," Imran wrote.
Moreover, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also condemned the martyrdom of the policemen, criticising the PTI-led government in the province.
He said that the Centre has serious reservations regarding the continuously deteriorating peace and security situation in KP.
"Militants are attacking police stations. Police personnel and officials are being targeted. From the recent attack, it seems like the provincial government hasn't learned anything from the attack on Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) [facility] in Bannu," the minister wrote.
He said that KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan's energy is directed at dissolving the assembly while the protection of "people's lives and property is not the CM's priority".
Earlier, Senior superintendent of police operations Kashif Aftab Abbasi confirmed that police station Sarband came under attack with grenades and sniper guns fitted with night vision thermal goggles.
The SSP operations said the terrorists attacked the police stations from two to three sides. He said that at least six to eight terrorists were involved in the attack. At least 12 to 14 policemen were present at the police station at the time of the attack, he said.
The SSP operations said that terrorists lobbed five hand grenades into the compound of the police station. Four of the grenades were neutralised while one blew up, he said.
The police official said that the terrorists managed to flee after the attack. He added that the search operation had been halted and would recommence during the daytime in order to track down the attackers.
Police have repulsed the terrorists almost two hours after they attacked around 1am.
Police contingents arrived on the spot after the terror attack was reported. The police spokesperson said that the entire area was cordoned off following the assault.
Additional police contingents and armoured personnel carriers also rushed to the flashpoint.
Following the assault, DSP Sardar Hussain rushed to the troubled spot, according to CCPO Ijaz Khan.
The DSP parked his vehicle at Shahabkhel and scurried on foot towards the Sarband police station. However, they fell prey to sniper guns of the terrorists.
The DSP and his two gunmen, Irshad and Jehanzeb died on the spot. They all received gunshot wounds to their heads and bodies.
Police shifted their bodies to a hospital and started scouring the area around the Sarband police station for terrorists with the help of APCs. However, there is no report so far of any arrest or killing of terrorists.
Additional input from APP.
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