At least three police officials, including a superintendent of police (SP), lost their lives in two blasts at a police checkpoint in Hangu district, law enforcement authorities confirmed on Friday.
According to police, one after another explosion shook the abandoned Ghalmina checkpost, within the limits of Baliamina Police Station. The blasts damaged a nearby room and the infrastructure of the checkpoint.
Unidentified militants, as per the initial report, placed an explosive substance near the empty checkpost, which exploded powerfully, wrecking the structure. A police team, including SP (Operations) Asad Zubair, quickly arrived at the location for a probe when the second blast hit them. The SP and two constables, named as Kifayat and Atif, were martyred on the spot.
Hangu DPO Khan Zeb Khan said another police official, identified as Dawood, was hurt and taken to the hospital. He further stated that SP Zubair was engaged in counterterrorism operations for over a month and played a significant role in eliminating their presence from the area. He had also received certificates of appreciation from the officers for performing with honesty.
DSP Amjad Hussain said while talking to private media that the Ghalmina checkpoint was empty at the time of the blast. He mentioned attackers exploded blasts at the unoccupied checkpost, demolishing it. After learning about the explosion, SP Asad Zubair quickely rushed to the site with his team to evaluate the situation when a second blast went off in Baliamina.
Three police officials, including SP Zubair, were martyred in the two blasts, the DSP confirmed. Officials have sealed the area, and a search operation is in the process to find the culprits.
The martyred SP was a native of the Nawe Kale area of Kohat and was also a relative of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi.
