Two cops martyred in attack on judges’ security squad

DERA ISMAIL KHAN/PESHAWAR: Two policemen were martyred and as many injured when suspected militants opened fire on the security squad of judges near the Bhagwal filling station on the Tank-Dera Ismail Khan Road on Friday.

It was learnt that the attackers lying in wait attacked the police squad deputed to provide security to judges serving in South Waziristan and Tank.

Reports said that Additional District and Sessions Judge, South Waziristan, Malik Asghar, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Tank, Malik Husnain, and Senior Civil Judge Mahjabeen were returning to Dera Ismail Khan after duty at the camp office in Tank when 20 to 25 armed men opened fire on their security squad.

The attack left two cops identified as Abdul Samad and Abdullah martyred. Another two cops were injured in the attack. The other members of the squad returned the fire and forced the attackers to flee the area. Sources said that the exchange of fire between the cops and the militants continued for almost 30 minutes. The judges escaped unhurt in the attack.

The three judges are said to be hailing from Dera Ismail Khan. The attackers took away a van from the police to Cheena village in Tank where they torched the vehicle.

A heavy contingent of the police arrived at the spot after learning about the attack.

Meanwhile, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) summoned the provincial police chief and additional chief secretary Home for Monday to discuss upgraded security for the judicial officials after the attack on judges in Tank. PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim called an emergency meeting after learning about the Tank incident.

Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice SM Attique Shah, Justice Shakil Ahmad, Justice Syed Arshad Ali, Registrar Ikhtiar Khan and Additional Registrar Administration Mumrez Khan Khalil were in attendance. The participants of the meeting stressed strengthened security measures for the judicial officials in the merged districts.

It was asserted that there would be no compromise on the security of judicial officials and no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.