KOHAT, March 25: Security personnel have temporarily suspended an operation to stop an explosives-laden truck from falling deeper into a ravine and retrieve it before it could cause major damage, officials said here on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses said the truck had slipped off a road into a ravine on Saturday morning while taking a sharp turn on its way to Thall from Dalan area bordering Orakzai Agency.
Two men who were wearing fake army uniforms came out of the truck and left the scene after failing to retrieve the vehicle.
Officials who inspected the truck said the words “danger” were written at the back of the vehicle. They said it was likely that the explosives and weapons were being transported for a possible attack on military installations in the Thall Cantonment.
The truck was found some seven kilometres from Thall Cantt, a target of terrorists during the past three years.
Policemen posted at the Mamokhora police post informed the military authorities about the incident in the afternoon and reached the scene along with police high-ups. A bomb disposal squad was called from Kohat for help. The authorities tried to pull the truck out with the help of a tractor but the vehicle was so heavy that it did not budge.
Security officials suspended the operation when darkness fell but said they would make a final attempt to retrieve the truck on Sunday morning.
