JIT to probe Motorway firing incident in which soldier lost life

NOWSHERA: A joint investigation team was formed Saturday to probe the attack by unknown motorcyclists on soldiers on the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway on Friday while the vehicle’s driver filed the first information report (FIR) against the attackers.

In the FIR registered by Naik Khalil, the driver of the double-cabin Vigo, it was stated that two men riding a motorcycle waylaid them and tried to snatch their belongings as they were busy changing the burst tyre of their vehicle on the Motorway about seven kilometres from the Rashakai Interchange. The FIR said they resisted the attackers and were fired at by them in which Lance Naik Irfan was martyred.

Naik Khalil in the FIR said they were on official duty when the incident happened. The FIR was filed at the Risalpur Police Station in Nowshera district.

The FIR didn’t mention 2nd Lieutenant Haider who was reportedly riding the army vehicle and survived the firing by the two attackers. He is reportedly the son of Major General Nadir Khan. The driver, Naik Khalil, also escaped unhurt.

Captain (R) Mansoor Aman, the district police officer for Nowshera, told the media that the joint investigation team has been constituted with officials from the police and the Special Branch and investigation along with the intelligence agencies, ISI, MI and IB, as members. He also said the investigation is focused on all possible motives including target-killing and robbery.

Both the army and the police are investigating the incident. Geo-fencing has been done and a search operation is underway since Friday, but there is no report of any arrests. The soldiers took away the vehicle after the incident.

Meanwhile, Mardan’s Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Ali Gandapur reiterated his concern over the broken down fence on both sides of the sections of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway and said there was risk of repeat of incidents like the one on Friday as people can easily come onto the Motorway and commit crimes. He asked the National Highway Authority to take notice of this issue as the broken down fence posed risk to the life and property of people using the Motorway.