LAKKI MARWAT/ SWABI: A police official identified as constable Hayatullah got martyred when terrorists attacked him in Bannu district on Tuesday.

An official said that Hayatullah was working as clerk at the office of superintendent of police. He said that terrorists opened firing on him near Gul Bahadar Chowk on CPEC route when he was going home after performing duty.

`The policeman lost his life instantly and his body was dispatched to district headquarters hospital for fulfilling medico-legal formalities,` he said. He said that after the attack, a police contingent reached the site of occurrence, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

In Swabi, a suspected terrorist was killed and a policeman was injured in a clash in Parmuli area of Razaar tehsil on Tuesday.

DPO Ziauddin said that police got information about the presence of a militant and launched operation in the difficult terrain of Razaar.

Personnel of police and counter terrorism department (CTD) took part in the operation against militant Ali Syed, who belonged to Parmuli village and rarely visited thearea, he added.

He said that police confronted the militant in Serai area of Parmuli village. He was present in the house. Police besieged the area and blocked all exit and entry points.

`A woman and child were also present in the house. Police first provided a safe passage to the woman and child,` said an official on condition of anonymity.

He said that the terrorist opened firing on police party. Irfan Khan, a policeman, was injured in the firing and he was rushed to Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital. He said that police sent reinforcement and cordoned off the area and both light and heavy weapons were used in the encounter, which lasted for about two hours.

The slain militant, Ali Syed, was wanted by police in various cases of terrorism. Police were tracing him and kept a tight watch over his activities. Police recovered a M4 rifle with magazines and hundreds of rounds were recovered from his possession.

The slain militant had martyred constable Ishtiaq Ahmed in December last year. Cases were also registered against him in CTD police station in Mardan.

Dawn Report