- Prime Minister President praises timely action of security forces in Peshawar.
- KP CM Afridi pays tribute to martyrs, says morality cannot be broken.
- Ten injured in attack on Peshawar headquarters, including three FC staff.
PESHAWAR: At least three terrorists were killed and as many Federal Police (FC) personnel martyred when security forces foiled an attack on the FC headquarters in Peshawar, officials said on Monday.
Dr. Mian Saeed, a police officer in the capital of Peshawar, said three suicide bombers tried to enter police headquarters. “One attacker blew himself up at the main door of the FC headquarters, while two others managed to enter the premises,” he said.
The CCPO said the FC personnel immediately engaged the suicide bombers and killed two terrorists inside the complex. He confirmed that the three suicide bombers were killed during the exchange of fire with security personnel.
Dr Saeed added that the timely response of FC staff helped prevent the attackers from causing a major incident. He said the Saddar area surrounding the headquarters was cordoned off and traffic was diverted as security agencies launched a search operation.
Meanwhile, Federal Police Deputy Commander Javed Iqbal also confirmed the death of the three attackers. He said three FC staff were martyred in the suicide attack.
He added that a thorough search operation was continuing inside the FC headquarters to ensure no additional threat remained.
Additionally, 10 people, including three FC staff, were also injured as a result of the attack. Nine injured people were taken to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), according to the hospital administration.
An LRH spokesperson said the injured included three Federal Police (FC) personnel and six civilians. All the injured are out of danger, the administration added.
Convictions
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the terror attack and praised the 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 vowed to dismantle any plots targeting the sovereignty and security of Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari also denounced the attack and expressed his condolences to the families of the martyrs. He asserted that foreign-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, emphasizing that such cowardly attacks cannot weaken our morale.
Increase in terrorism
Terrorist attacks have seen a sharp rise in Pakistan, particularly in the border provinces of KP and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban regime came to power.
In September this year, at least six personnel of Pakistan Army and Federal Police (FC) embraced martyrdom after Indian-sponsored militants attacked the FC headquarters in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Inter-Services Public Relations said.
The violence spread to other regions of the country, including Islamabad, where a suicide bomb attack on November 11 martyred 12 people and injured 36 others, including 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 indifferent to its concerns.
Recent talks, brokered by Qatar and Turkiye, on regional peace ended without progress due to what Islamabad said were the Taliban’s “illogical arguments” and unrealistic views.
