The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has registered a case over the attack on a diplomatic convoy in Swat, it emerged on Monday.
A policeman escorting a convoy of foreign diplomats was martyred after a roadside explosion in Swat on Sunday. The delegation, including diplomats from 12 countries, was returning to Islamabad from Malam Jabba when their vehicle was targeted.
An improvised explosive device hit a police squad vehicle leading the convoy. The diplomats, who were visiting Swat on the invitation of chambers of commerce, remained unhurt in the attack and safely returned to Islamabad.
The banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group denied responsibility for the attack.
A first information report (FIR) was lodged at the CTD police station in Swat on Sunday on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Jan Mohammad Khan under Sections 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act and sections of the Explosive Substances Act.
The FIR said the police were alerted that a blast had occurred near Sherabad where an “official vehicle with very, very important personnel (VVIP) was en route to Malam Jabba”.
It added that when the police reached the spot, a blast occured on the left side of the road, impacting the official vehicle carrying the personnel. The FIR said six police officers were injured in the attack.
“This incident is one of the recent incidents of terrorism in which an organised group of unknown terrorists has committed this incident to harm the stability of Pakistan, spread fear and panic among the public, kill government officials, and damage property,” the FIR said.
KP has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces and other law enforcement agencies.
A report released by an Islamabad-based think-tank, Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), earlier this month said 29 out of the 59 terrorist attacks reported across the country in August took place in KP.
These attacks, which claimed 25 lives, were reportedly carried out by the TTP, Gul Bahadur Group, Lashkar-i-Islam, Islamic State-Khorasan and a few local Taliban groups, as per the PIPS report.
dditional input from AFP.
