Police arrest culprit who fired shots at PIA plane in Peshawar

Published September 11, 2015
The accused confessed firing multiple gunshots at PIA's Boeing PK-756 as it was landing at the Bacha Khan airport. — Dawn Photo
The accused confessed firing multiple gunshots at PIA's Boeing PK-756 as it was landing at the Bacha Khan airport. — Dawn Photo

PESHAWAR: The special police unit in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday claimed to have arrested an alleged suspect involved in firing shots at a commercial PIA aircraft last year in June at the Bacha Khan International Airport, killing a woman passenger.

Police arrested Noor Muhammad alias Yar Muhammad on Friday from Peshawar's Ring Road area after receiving a tip off from security agencies.

Authorities claimed that during initial investigation, the accused had confessed to firing multiple gunshots at PIA's Boeing PK-756 as it was landing at the Bacha Khan International Airport in June 2014.

An FIR has been registered in Badabair Police Station against the shooter, police said, adding that the suspect will be handed over to the concerned police station.

Know more: Target: Airport

PK-756 was coming from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Peshawar with 196 passengers on board when it was attacked by unidentified gunmen on June 24, while landing at the airport, killing a woman and injuring two flight stewards on board.

Airline officials said the gunmen had aimed specifically at the highly flammable fuel tank as they sought to blow up the aircraft, as well as the cockpit, to kill the pilot.

Army and police personnel conducted a search operation and arrested over 100 suspects after the attack.

Earlier last year, security forces and police jointly carried out a raid in Suleman Khel area of Peshawar on intelligence information and arrested Waliullah, a militant commander of Dara Adam Khel associated with the Shahid Group working under the umbrella of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in connection with firing on the PIA plane.

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