Official says six cops martyred in Peshawar attacks last year

PESHAWAR: The police were attacked 18 times in the provincial capital during the last year in which six cops were martyred and nine injured, a senior police official said on Monday. Speaking at a press conference at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines, Senior Superintendent of Police Operations Kashif Aftab Abbasi said most of the attacks on the police were carried out with hand grenades and automatic weapons.

He said some cops also fell victim to target killings. “The police foiled a number of attacks on the city the last year during which several terrorists were arrested while 19 others were killed. The police recovered four suicide jackets and 131 hand grenades along with a huge cache of ammunition from the terrorists during the last year,” he added.

He said the local police also busted a major terror network. The official said the police successfully worked out high-profile cases including the Koocha Risaldar suicide attack on a mosque, an attack on the church, an imambargah in Hayatabad, incidents of rape and murder of children, the target killing of minority members and policemen. He said the accused in all the cases were traced and arrested. According to the official, 508 cases of murder, 787 of attempted-murder and 32 cases of kidnapping were lodged during the last year in which 6378 accused were arrested. “The local police along with the Narcotics Eradication Team busted 24 ice (methamphetamine) factories and held several dealers as the police went after the mafias involved in the sale and smuggling of meth. As many as 394 kilograms of ice was recovered and 2833 accused were arrested,” he said. The official added the police also arrested over 9000 others for the sale and smuggling of other drugs and recovered 550kg heroin, 3759kg hashish and 739kg opium. He continued that the police arrested 4811 proclaimed offenders and 7525 other accused during the last year. Kashif Abbasi said 117 policemen were dismissed from service while other punishments were awarded to 2152 cops for corrupt practices, misuse of power or incompetence. He said that 2257 cops were awarded for performing well. The SSP believed that the police had introduced a new strategy to go after the street criminals, which proved effective. He claimed the ratio of such incidents had come down. The official highlighted the efforts of the force during floods and other natural disasters, the performance of the Dispute Resolution Councils and Police Assistance Lines in addressing the issues of the public.