Soldier injured as he foils suicide attack on border post

PARACHINAR: Two persons including a soldier sustained injuries in a suicide attack at a border security post in Kurram Agency, official sources on Friday.

They said that a suicide bomber was trying to enter Pakistan from Paktia province of Afghanistan through the border crossing at Kharlachi in Kurram Agency.The sources said the security personnel deployed at the post got suspicious and tried to stop the suicide bomber, who blew up to avoid capture.

According to the official sources, a soldier Batti Gul and a passerby identified as Kamil Hussain sustained injuries as a result of the explosion.They said the gate installed on the Pakistani side of the border was damaged by the blast.

The injured soldier was shifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Thall while the civilian was taken to the Agency Headquarters Hospital in Parachinar, the headquarters of Kurram Agency, the sources added.

Th sources said the border was closed after the incident.Commandant 73 Brigade Brigadier Malik Amir Muhammad Khan, Commandant Kurram Militia Colonel Omar Malik, Political Agent Kurram Agency Ikramullah Khan and other high security and civil officials reached the site of the blast soon after the incident.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Frontier Corps Major General Mazhar Shaheen announced Rs50,000 cash award for the injured soldier. He said the soldier upon recovery would be sent to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah for his bravery in preventing the suicide attacker from crossing into Pakistan. Member National Assembly Sajid Hussain Turi and Kurram Agency’s political administration also announced Rs50,000 cash award each for the wounded soldier.Sajid Hussain Turi felicitated the Pakistan Army for foiling the suicide attack.