Attackers wanted to target rival in car of martyred CTD officer

PESHAWAR: The officer of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) martyred in a firing incident outside the Central Prison Peshawar on Saturday was not the target of the attackers, but the person sitting in his car was the one the armed men wanted to kill, it was learnt.

The attack was carried out in the sensitive area Saturday night. An inspector of the CTD Khushdil Khan was martyred in the attack while a civilian Iftikhar was injured.

As per the first information report (FIR) lodged in the East Cantt Police Station, one Sadaqatullah from Kaga Wala village, told the police that he was released from the Central Prison Peshawar on Saturday where he was held in connection with a murder case. “After the court order to release me, I was threatened by rivals that they will attack me outside the jail. As I was released on Saturday, I sought the help of Inspector Khushdil Khan who was

present outside the main gate of the jail to provide me protection,” Sadaqatullah said in the FIR.

He said that his rivals Shahab, Waseem, Arshad, Hasnain and Mujib from Kaga Wala village suddenly appeared and opened fire on the vehicle of Inspector Khushdil Khan, who lost his life in the attack while his friend Iftikhar, who was accompanying him in the vehicle, was injured.

The complainant said he remained unharmed while the attackers managed to escape from the spot.

Sadaqatullah informed the police that he had enmity with the attackers and was imprisoned on account of a murder case.

After the incident, the police officials said the deceased officer was in the intelligence wing of the CTD.

Meanwhile, the funeral prayer of the martyred cop was offered at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines. It was attended by a number of senior officials.

Observers said this attack serves as a painful reminder that the enmities and disputes among the people in rural parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be resolved to stop the killing of people.

A number of blood feuds in the limits of rural police stations have not only claimed hundreds of lives. Passers-by and innocent civilians have also been killed in such attacks.

There are hundreds of unresolved blood feuds in rural police stations including Badaber, Matani, Inqilab, Sarband, Mathra, Regi, Pishtakhara, Rahman Baba, Bhanamari, Daudzai, etc that continue claiming lives.

Some of the groups involved in these feuds have been carrying weapons for decades and also harass the general public in their areas as well as in other parts of the district.

According to the observers, the government, police, district administration and society need to play an effective role in bringing an end to these blood feuds.