KP mourns Peshawar blast; injured cops vow to fight terrorism, extremism till last breath
PESHAWAR : The deadly terrorist blast at a mosque in police line here the other day, could not shake the resolve and determination of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police especially the injured cops as they vowed to fight out terrorism and extremism and protect the motherland till their last breath.
Ibrahim Khan, constable telecommunication department of the KP police, under treatment at Orthopedic Ward of the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) said that despite the horrific suicide bombing on peaceful worshipers and police, he was eagerly waiting to rejoin his duty soon after discharge from hospital.
Despite having deep shell wounds in shoulders, neck and right leg, Ibrahim was not worried about his health, rather inquiring about his colleagues, who were present in the mosque at the time of the blast.
“It was a cowardly act as the terrorists targeted innocent and unarmed people and police while they were busy in prayers,” he told APP, adding that it gave him enormous courage and strength to fight the enemy of the country as well as his colleagues more vigorously.
“I became unconscious as a result of the blast as soon as the Pash e Iman (prayer leader) said Allah-o-Akabar for Zuhr prayer,” Ibrahim Khan who served 22 years long service in Police Force in different districts said.
“I along with my old friends Assistant Sub Inspector Muhammad Rizwan, Inspector Douran Shah, constable Muhammad Naeem came together to the mosque for Zuhr prayer. My friends were in front row while I was in the middle when a huge explosion occurred, martyring both of my colleagues along with many others,” he said.
With sobbing eyes, he said the desire of my colleagues was fulfilled in the shape of ‘Shahadat’ while I am also looking forward to lay down my life for the security of my motherland.
“The coward bomber regardless of care for humanity and religion attacked the peaceful worshipers majority of whom were unarmed policemen as he (the attacker) had no courage to face them from front,” Ibrahim said, adding he has six children and all are available to sacrifice their lives if it comes to the country’s interests or security.
Assistant Professor Orthopedics at LRH, Dr Shoaib Ahmad told APP that the condition of Ibrahim Khan was out of danger after his successful shoulders and right leg surgery and removal of shrapnel, however he was under observation for pain management.
Mumbling Jahangir Khan, constable Peshawar Police who received critical wounds in chest, legs and head said his father always advised him not to show back to the enemy and always face the danger from the front, adding the desire of his father was fulfilled. “Martyrdom was my wish, however, Allah Almighty saved me in this deadly attack” Jahangir said. “However, Allah has given me another chance and whenever need arises I will never hesitate to sacrifice my life for my country that gives us everything,” he vowed.
Dr Shoaib said that Jahangir Khan’s condition was not out of danger as he received critical wounds in head, legs and chest and the next 48 hours were important for his life.
Another injured Muhammad Shahid, head constable of Peshawar Police said that such cowardice incidents could not shatter our resolve to fight the menace of terrorism with full might. “I believe that life and death is decided by Allah Almighty and all our martyrs’ of the police force live in our heart and mind and their sacrifices would not go in vain.”
Professor Dr Muhammad Shoaib said that currently 17 injured of KP police were being treated at LRH’s orthopedics ward and surgeries of majority injured cops were performed successfully. The condition of all admitted cops except Jahangir Khan was out of danger and one cop Yasir Ameen was discharged today.
According to KP police spokesman, so far 92 people, most of them policemen, have been martyred and around 80 injured who were being treated in different hospitals of Peshawar.
The martyrs also included the prayer leader Sahibzada Noorul Ameen, Inspectors Dauran Shah and Irfan Khan, ASI Rizwan and others whose collective funeral prayer was offered at Malik Saad Shaheed police lines last night and laid to rest in their native areas with grief and sobbing.
Bilal Faizi, spokesman of Rescue 1122 told APP that search and rescue operations in the collapsed mosque have been completed after shifting of 146 victims including 54 martyred and 94 injured besides retrieving of about 17 dead bodies from the mosque’s rubble.
Muazzam Jah Ansari, IGP KP has directed police investigators to carryout expeditious investigation into the blast and probe how the suicide bomber sneaked into Police-line mosque without being detected.
Talking to police officers, the IGP also sought a report about security laps and was told that the suicide bomber might have joined the people entering for Zuhr prayer in mosque. Strict action would be taken in case of security lapse on part of security staff.
“The police line blast was a serious security breach and complete investigation was required to determine whether the bomber was present in the police line or facilitated by some insider to target police cops in the mosque located in the red zone,” said former IGP, Syed Ikhtar Ali Shah while talking to APP.
He said capacity building of anti terrorism bodies including CTD and police investigators besides strengthening the intelligence system was required to defeat terrorism.
Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN KP spokesman has accused PTI’s government for its lackluster approach by not meeting the overall requirements of the counter terrorism department and police especially in terms of equipment and training etc.
“The Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has cancelled all his official engagements as soon as he heard of the blast and rushed to Peshawar to inquire after the health of injured victims at LRH,” he said.
The Prime Minister attended a high-level law and order meeting in Peshawar and assured to enhance the capacity of anti terrorism institutions and police force, full implementation of the national action plan (NAP) and strict punishment to the miscreants and their facilitators.
Ikhtair Wali said the Prime Minister has passed a strong message during his visit that nefarious designs of terrorists would be thwarted with full might with the cooperation of state institutions and people of Pakistan.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had united all the national and stakeholders after APS deadly attack in 2014 in Peshawar and devised a comprehensive national action plan in consultation with all political parties and relevant authorities, and speedy courts were established that greatly helped curb terrorism in the country.
To express solidarity with the blast victims and condemn the horrific bombing, the KP government has observed one day of official mourning in the province where the national flag was kept at half mast at all government and private buildings.
The people continued to gather at the residences of the martyrs and offered Fateha with bereaved families and expressed solidarity with them. Overall a gloomy day prevailed in KP especially in Charsadda, Nowsehra, Swabi, Mardan and Peshawar from where most of the martyred cops belonged to.
People of all walks of life strongly condemned the horrific bombing and visited LRH to inquire after the injured cops.(APP)
