Seven cops hurt in terrorist attack on Taunsa border check-post

DERA GHAZI KHAN/MULTAN: Terrorists launched an attack at the Hazrat Umar Farooq Jhangi check-post near Taunsa Sharif on Tuesday midnight. However, the Punjab Elite Force personnel foiled the attack and forced the terrorists to flee.

Terrorists used laser guns, hand-grenades and rocket-launchers in the attack, police sources told The News.

Seven police officials were injured when terrorists attacked the Jhangi police check-post at the KP border after midnight. The police said firing continued for around three hours during which the police contingent resisted strongly.

The check-post, part of Wahova police station, was targeted for the second time. Earlier, one police official was martyred and another was injured.

One of the seriously injured constables Shahid Manzoor of Elite Force was shifted to Nishtar Hospital Multan, while the others, including ASI Imran, Mohammad Aamir, Ashiq Zain, Rehmatullah, Sanaullah and Tariq, are being treated at the Taunsa Sharif hospital.

Talking to journalists at the Nishtar Hospital, South Punjab Additional Inspector General Police Kamran Khan said the Elite Force foiled the terrorist attack at Hazrat Umar Farooq Jhangi check-post. He visited the hospital to inquire after the injured police personnel.

He said more than 15 terrorists attacked the police post. It was a huge attack but the police personnel foiled it. The aim of the terrorists was to capture the checkpoint, but Elite personnel foiled the attack, he added. The personnel under treatment are out of danger, he said.

An injured policeman Muhammad Imran said terrorists were armed with modern weapons. He said after witnessing movements of terrorists through CCTV cameras, all officials were alerted.

The Dera Ghazi Khan police sent an initial report on the incident, a copy of which was available with The News. The report said after receiving information from the police present at the check-post, various police teams, including SOU teams, posted at check-posts Treman, Elite Team, Wahova Elite team, Kot Mubarak Elite team and the Elite personnel posted at Kot Chutha headquarters were quickly sent towards the post. Firing had stopped at the check-post when the police teams reached there. A policeman from DG Khan police and three from the Elite Force were injured in the firing. The injured were shifted in bullet-proof vehicles and sent to Taunsa Sharif Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.

A police vehicle parked at the police post (No KWG-22) was destroyed by terrorists. The report was dispatched to Inspector General of Police on Wednesday.