Police official says terror, target killing incidents down

PESHAWAR: Capital City Police Officer Mohammad Tahir Khan has said the terror incidents in the provincial capital have recorded 52 per cent decrease and target killings remained down by 87 per cent during the current year as compared to 2016.

Talking to the media persons at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines on Wednesday, he said eight target killing incidents were reported this year while there were 63 such incidents in the corresponding year.

“The overall incidents of terrorism dropped by 52 per cent while the street crimes have witnessed a 40 per cent decrease as compared to last year,” he said at a press conference. He was flanked by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Javed Iqbal Wazir and SSP Investigation Nisar Ahmad Khan.

The CCPO said a number of terrorism incidents were foiled while acting on tip-off during. “A total of 356 kilograms of explosives, nine suicide jackets and 278 hand grenades were recovered during different actions by the Peshawar Police, thwarting a number of terror bids and saving valuable lives,” said the CCPO who has been heading the Peshawar Police since August last year.

The city police chief said 2125 search and strike operations, with 1,078 of them conducted jointly with army, were carried out in Peshawar this year. The force rounded up 2, 892 suspects and proclaimed offenders in the search operations. “A visible decrease has been reported in all the crimes, including murder, attempted-murder, robberies, snatching, kidnapping and extortion,” said the CCPO.

He said during different actions, 56 rockets, 641 AK-47 rifles, 76 kalakoves, 420 rifles, 806 shotguns and 7356 pistols were also recovered. The official said apart from fighting terrorism and crime, the Capital City Police successfully maintained law and order during Muharram, anti-polio vaccination campaigns, population census, different political rallies and by-polls.