Three BDUs deployed in Peshawar to ensure quick response to terror attacks

PESHAWAR: Three bomb disposal units (BDUs) have been deployed in different localities in the provincial capital to ensure quick response to terror attacks, sources said.

Security has been upgraded in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks on successive Fridays and ahead of the third anniversary of the December 16, 2017 attack on the Army Public School & College, Peshawar.

Additional Inspector General of Police Muhammad Ashraf Noor was martyred while seven policemen were wounded when a suicide bomber hit his car in Hayatabad, a posh locality in Peshawar, on November 24, which was a Friday.

The next Friday, three terrorists stormed the hostels inside the Directorate General of Agriculture, on the University Road in the city. Nine people were martyred and 28 others injured in the attack.

Two senior police officers narrowly survived when they were fired at as they arrived at the spot to lead the operation against the terrorists. A source said significant progress had been made in the investigation into the two attacks. "Apart from upgrading security at checkpoints, three extra teams of the BDU have been deployed at different places in Peshawar for quicker response to any incident," the source said.

The sources added that search and strike operations had been increased, particularly in Hayatabad. A senior level joint security committee has been constituted for fresh security audit of sensitive buildings and establishments in Peshawar. The committee has been assigned the task to find out loopholes in security and recommend measures for improved safety of sensitive buildings, educational institutions and public places.

Similar measures have also been taken in other districts in the province due to the threats of terrorists attacks. Security has been beefed up at sensitive places, particularly oat the educational institutions ahead of the third anniversary of the attack on the Army Public School & College.

The attack had caused the martyrdom of 147 persons, including 122 schoolchildren, and left many others wounded. Measures are also being taken to equip the police with the skills to reduce the number of casualties in terror attack.

"Bullet-proof shields are being purchased for the cops to minimise casualties in terror attack. Motorbikes are also being provided to the Quick Response Units since cars cannot move easily in the traffic jams due to the construction work of the Bus Rapid Transit project," the sources continued. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police sent a summary to the provincial government for converting 454 cars into armoured vehicles to protect the life of policemen in attacks and during operations.

The armoured cars would be provided to the regional police officers, districts police officers, sub-divisional officers and station house officers all over the province. Some cars would be converted completely into armoured ones. Certain vehicles would be made partially bullet-proof. The force in recent months has already placed armoured sheets to a number of patrolling cars. The shields would reduce the intensity of gun attacks from two sides.