QUETTA: Four soldiers of the Frontier Corps (FC) and two policemen were martyred in two incidents of terrorism on Wednesday. A senior police official was among the survivors.

The four FC men lost their lives and seven others were injured in a suicide attack on a check-post of the paramilitary force in the mountainous area, some 30km from Quetta.

Security officials said the FC had set up the check-post near the Nosahar area to keep an eye on the movement of suspected terrorists.

They said the bomber entered the check-post and blew himself up close to the FC personnel. The FC troops deployed on nearby check-posts and Levies Force officials rushed to the site after hearing the big bang. They shifted the injured and the bodies to hospital.

The deceased were identified as Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Imran, Javed Ahmed and Muhammad Rashid. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

In the other incident, two policemen lost their lives in a gun attack, apparently targeting a senior official who escaped unhurt.

Police officials said that gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of Deputy Superintendent of Police Hameed Ullah Dasti at the Samungli Road when he was going to the Balochistan High Court from his residence.

Five years ago, the younger brother of Mr Dasti, police inspector Amir Muhammad Dasti, was shot dead in the Brewery Road area.

Deputy Inspector General of Quetta Abdul Razzaq Cheema said that in the firing two policemen escorting DSP Dasti as guards received a volley of bullets and died on the spot.

Official sources said that two armed men opened fire on the vehicle from two sides. However, Mr Dasti and his driver remained unhurt in the firing as the vehicle was bullet proof.

Witnesses said that after firing the gunmen escaped on two motorcycles in different directions.

Police and FC personnel cordoned off the area and shifted the bodies to the civil hospital. Security forces sealed the crime scene from where police collected evidences. Roads leading to the crime scene were closed for vehicular traffic.

“CCTV footage shows that the attackers were waiting for the DSP’s vehicle at the spot,” sources said.

The deceased policemen were identified as constables Muhammad Tahir and Ayub Shah.

Police officials said that DSP Dasti was posted in the prosecution department and was going to the court to attend the hearing of an important case. He had been receiving threats from banned organisations.

The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack on the vehicle of DSP Dasti. The central spokesman for the TTP said in a message on social media that armed men belonging to his organisation had attacked the DSP’s vehicle.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has condemned the attack on police and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

“Terrorists don’t deserve any leniency,” the CM said as he expressed his sorrow and grief over the incident.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2018