Alleged facilitators arrested in Charsadda

Christian Colony attack

FIR lodged; slain man laid to rest; CM meets bereaved family

CHARSADDA: The security forces and police on Saturday arrested four alleged facilitators of the militants who attacked the Christian Colony near Warsak Dam a day earlier, sources said.

The sources said that the personnel of the security forces and police carried out an action in Shabqadar tehsil and arrested the alleged abettors of the militants.

The arrested alleged facilitators were identified as Shahid, Ijaz, Ziaur Rehman and Zia Muhammad. They said the arrested persons were shifted to an undisclosed location for an interrogation.

The police had arrested two alleged militants and recovered two suicide vests and as many hand-grenades and pistols from them in the same area a day before the militants attacked the Christian Colony near Warsak Dam.

Peshawar Bureau adds: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday lodged the first information report (FIR) of the Christian Colony attack, a source said.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of the officials of Mathra Police Station.

The officials said evidence collected from the spot had been sent to the forensic laboratory for examination.

A major terrorist attack on the provincial capital was thwarted when security personnel knocked down four suicide bombers after they stormed the Christian Colony near Warsak Dam early Friday.

The security guards engaged four suicide bombers carrying automatic weapons and hand-grenades after they broke into the Christian Colony at around 6am.

The personnel of the Frontier Corps, army and police also rushed to the spot as the exchange of fire between the attackers and security men continued for long.One Samuel Masih, who was killed in the attack, was laid to rest on Saturday. Two guards, a police constable and a soldier were also wounded in the attack.

A spokesman for the capital city police said over 100 suspects had been rounded up during search operations in different parts of the city after the attack.  The suspects were released after being cleared by the cops.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Saturday visited Christian Colony to share the grief of a family
who lost a member in a botched attack on the residential area.

The Christian Colony witnessed a foiled attempt of terrorism by four terrorists who killed a civilian and one official and injured a few others.

According to a handout, the chief minister met members of the bereaved family.

He remained with them for some time and sympathised with them.

The chief minister assured them of all possible help, saying that they should not feel alone.

He said his government was faced with a host of challenges and they were constantly offering sacrifices.    He urged the people to show unity in the face of terrorism.