By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
TANK: Two police officials were shot dead in separate incidents of targeted killing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district, triggering fear and mourning across the area.
The first attack took place on Pezu Road near Jogi, where unidentified gunmen opened fire on Sub-Inspector Mumtaz Ali, a moharrar at City Police Station Tank. Police said Mumtaz Ali was travelling to Tank city in public transport when the attackers intercepted the vehicle, dragged him out, took him to a nearby spot and shot him dead at close range.
In a second incident near Shah Alam, Constable Sajjad Hussain was also targeted and killed. According to police sources, the constable was on leave and heading home when armed men stopped the passenger vehicle he was travelling in, abducted him, drove him some distance away and shot him dead. Following the attacks, police and security forces rushed to the scenes, shifted the bodies to hospital and cordoned off the areas.
Search operations were launched to trace and arrest those responsible. Funeral prayers for both officers were later offered with full state honours at Police Lines Tank. The ceremonies were attended by the district police officer, Shabbir Hussain Shah, deputy commissioner Tanveer Ahmed, officials from the Frontier Constabulary, senior security officers, and a large number of police personnel.
Senior officers laid wreaths on the coffins as a police contingent presented a salute. Special prayers were offered for the martyrs, for peace in Pakistan, and for the country’s security and stability.
