A policeman was killed on Sunday when an explosive device fitted to his motorcycle went off in Chakesar tehsil of Shangla district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A tehsil is an administrative sub-district, and the district police officer, or DPO, is the senior officer responsible for policing a district. The attack is the latest in a series of security incidents in the province.
The Shangla motorcycle bomb
The DPO, Ikramullah, said unidentified suspects had planted the explosive material on the motorcycle overnight. The victim has been identified as police personnel Qaimos. He was travelling to duty on his motorcycle when the device went off, and he died on the spot.
His body was moved to a nearby hospital. A police team reached the crime scene shortly after the explosion to begin an investigation, the DPO added. The officials did not say who was behind the attack or what the motive was.
Afghan militant arrested in Upper Kurram
In a separate development, law enforcement agencies arrested an armed Afghan militant who was trying to infiltrate Pakistan from Afghanistan in Upper Kurram, security sources said. According to the sources, the man belonged to an infiltration group, and the remaining members failed to cross the border. Upper Kurram lies near the Afghan frontier, which is why such crossings draw close attention from security forces.
The arrested man was named as Qari Waqas alias Quddoos, who the sources said belongs to Spin Ghar in Afghanistan. During interrogation, he reportedly told investigators that he had entered Pakistan to join the Khazim group. A search of his belongings turned up a submachine gun, four magazines and 88 bullets. Security personnel also recovered a notebook containing notes about various locations and methods for making explosives.
The arrest and the Shangla blast are separate incidents in different districts, and the sources do not link them.
What happens next
Police have opened an investigation into the Shangla motorcycle bomb, and the DPO said a team was at the scene soon after the blast. Further interrogation of the arrested militant is underway, security sources said. Authorities have not yet said who planted the device in Chakesar.
Aasan alfaaz mein: Itwar ko Shangla mein motorcycle par lagaya gaya bomb phatne se ek police wale Qaimos ki maut ho gayi. Police ne kaha ke bomb raat ko lagaya gaya tha aur tafteesh shuru ho gayi hai. Upper Kurram mein ek armed Afghan militant ko pakra gaya hai jo Pakistan mein dakhil hona chahta tha. Aam logon ke liye yeh khabar yaad dilati hai ke shak wali cheez ya package ki khabar foran police ko dena zaroori hai.
