The police are conducting investigations. Photo: (file)/Ramzan Seemab
DERA ISMAIL KHAN/MIRANSHAH:
Two policemen were martyred while 15 people, including five officers, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Rustam Bazaar area of Wana in Lower South Waziristan on Saturday.
In a separate attack, the brother of a peace committee chief was killed in an explosion near his shop in Lakki district.
According to police officials, the blast in South Waziristan took place around The explosive planted near the entrance went off with a powerful blast, injuring policemen and civilians present at the scene. Two policemen were killed on the spot.
The blast happened when the bazaar was full of shoppers.
DSP Wana Circle Asghar Ali Shah said the explosive material had been planted near the main gate of the supermarket and was probably detonated through a remote control or a timed device.
After the blast, local residents, police personnel and rescue teams initiated emergency response and shifted the injured to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Wana.
Medical inspector at DHQ Hospital Wana Dr. Jan Mohammad said the bodies of the two martyred policemen were brought to the hospital. A civilian was also killed in the attack.
He said the injured, including elderly persons, children and young men, were taken to the hospital where they were given medical treatment. An emergency was declared at the hospital to ensure quick medical attention to the victims. Several injured people were stated to be in critical condition.
Among five injured officers are four sub-inspectors.
Police launched an investigation to determine the nature of the explosion and identify those responsible, while security in the area has been further tightened.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi took notice and strongly condemned the incident. In a statement, he directed the IG to submit a detailed report on the incident.
Afridi expressed grief over the victims and condoled with the bereaved families. He said the provincial government stood with the families of the martyrs in this difficult time.
The KP Chief Minister also directed the authorities concerned to ensure immediate provision of the best possible medical facilities to the injured.
He said that the actions of such cowardly terrorists could not weaken the resolve of the people and the government.
Over the past year, the security situation in Lower South Waziristan, Upper South Waziristan and North Waziristan has worsened, with an increase in cases of terrorism, bombings, targeted killings, kidnappings for ransom and attacks on police and security forces. Local residents have expressed serious concern and called on the government to take effective measures to improve security.
In Lakki district, two persons, including the brother of a peace committee chairman, were killed and 11 others injured in a motorcycle-borne bomb blast near a battery shop in the jurisdiction of City Police Station, Manjiwala Chowk, the officials said.
According to police sources, the blast occurred near the battery shop of Shoaib Khan, brother of Peace Committee chairman Khalid Khan, when an explosive device went off with a loud blast.
As a result, Shoaib and a civilian were killed while 11 others sustained injuries.
A heavy contingent of police and security forces cordoned off the area, collected evidence from the spot and launched a search operation.
