PESHAWAR, NOV 24: At least three terrorists were killed and as many Federal Constabulary (FC) personnel martyred as security forces foiled an attack on the FC Headquarters in Peshawar, the officials said on Monday.
Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed said that three suicide bombers tried to enter the constabulary headquarters. “One attacker detonated himself at the main gate of the FC Headquarters, while two others managed to enter the premises,” he said.
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The CCPO said FC personnel immediately engaged the suicide attackers and killed two terrorists inside the compound. He confirmed that all three suicide bombers were killed during the exchange of fire with the security personnel.
Dr Saeed added that the timely response by FC personnel helped prevent the attackers from causing a major incident.
Deputy Commandant of the Federal Constabulary Javed Iqbal also confirmed the killing of all three attackers. He said three FC personnel were martyred in the suicide attack.
Meanwhile, according to the preliminary police report, a suicide bomber approached the main gate of the FC Headquarters, covering himself under a chaddor. He detonated explosives at the checkpoint, martyring three personnel on the spot.
Immediately following the blast, two more attackers entered the headquarters compound from a side gate. Both were armed with rifles and hand grenades. They advanced towards the motorcycle stand on the right side of the compound, intending to take hostages.
Security personnel engaged the attackers in a firefight, killing both within 30 to 40 metres of the main gate. The report said that a parade was ongoing at the time of the attack.
Moreover, 10 people, including three FC personnel, were injured as a result of the attack. Nine injured were brought to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), according to the hospital administration.
A spokesperson for LRH said that the injured include three personnel of the Federal Constabulary (FC) and six civilians. All the injured are stated to be out of danger, the administration added.
Condemnations
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the terrorist attack and lauded security forces for their timely action, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Reiterating the government’s unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism, the prime minister pledged to dismantle any plots targeting Pakistan’s sovereignty and security.
President Asif Ali Zardari also denounced the attack, extending condolences to the families of the martyrs. He asserted that externally-backed Fitna al-Khawarij cannot undermine Pakistan’s unity, resilience, or resolve.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also paid tribute to both the martyrs and the security forces, emphasising that such cowardly attacks cannot weaken our morale.
Later, he attended the funeral prayers of the martyred personnel.
Rise in terrorism
Terrorist attacks have seen a sharp increase in Pakistan, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban regime came into power.
In September this year, at least six personnel of the Pakistan Army and the Federal Constabulary (FC) embraced martyrdom after Indian-sponsored militants attacked the FC Headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Bannu district, the Inter-Services Public Relations had said.
The violence spread to other regions of the country, including Islamabad, where a suicide bombing on November 11 resulted in the martyrdom of 12 and 36 others were injured, among them lawyers and petitioners.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul and the international community to address the presence of terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan, including those of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Despite Pakistan’s efforts to engage the Taliban regime on the issue of cross-border terrorism, Kabul has remained largely unresponsive to its concerns.
The recent talks, mediated by Qatar and Turkiye, about regional peace ended without a breakthrough due to what Islamabad said were the Taliban’s “illogical arguments” and their views far from reality.
