SHO martyred in Peshawar attack

PESHAWAR: A station house officer was martyred in yet another attack on the security personnel in the provincial capital on Thursday.

Officials said the SHO Shahpur Police Station, sub- inspector Shakeel Khan, was on his way to the office from his home alone when two armed men, travelling in a white car, opened fire on his vehicle on Northern Bypass near Motorway.

"The armed attackers first opened fire on the car and when it met an accident and stopped, the two armed men carrying AK 47 and 9mm pistol came out of the vehicle and fired more rounds on Shakeel Khan," Capital Ccity Police Officer Muhammad Ijaz Khan told reporters.

The attackers then managed to escape in the same car. Several shots were fired on the officer and his car that can be seen in several videos. CCTV footage also shows a white car chasing the vehicle of the SHO and then two armed men coming out to fire more rounds on the cop.

Many termed Shakeel Khan a brave cop who led several operations against criminals, drug dealers and other criminals in his area over the last few years. He was recruited as constable. "He was a brave officer who led from the front against the criminals and anti-social elements. He will be remembered for his services," said Inspector Wajid Shah, a colleague of the martyred cop.

The funeral prayer of the officer was offered at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines where Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari and other senior police, civil and army officials and local lawmakers attended the funeral.

Some cops demanded that all the SHOs as operational officers be provided double cabin pickups due to the law and order situation where guards can sit alert outside. They said even if one carries guards in a car they cannot respond effectively when they come under attack.

The attack on the SHO is the third in Peshawar in the last five days. Two Sikh traders fell victims to the apparent target killing in Batatal Bazaar in Sarband near the boundary with Khyber district on Sunday. On Tuesday, one assistant sub-inspector of Intelligence Bureau was martyred.