PARACHINAR: A paramilitary soldier and a civilian were injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up at Kharlachi on the Afghan border near here on Friday.

According to officials, the injured soldier, Bati Gul, was taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Thall and the civilian, Kamil Hussain, to the Agency Headquarters Hospital in Parachinar.

Sources said that Bati Gul averted a major attack by intercepting the suspected bomber when he was crossing the border into Pakistan at the Kharlachi post.

A large number of people had gathered at the checkpoint when the soldier spotted the suspected attacker and asked him to stop, but he ignored the instruction. When he was intercepted, he detonated his suicide vest.

Frontier Corps Inspector General Maj Gen Mazhar Shaheen announced a Rs50,000 gallantry award for the injured FC man who would also be sent to perform Umra on official expenses.

The administration and the member of the National Assembly from the area also announced cash rewards for the injured soldier.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2016