LOWER DIR: The Lal Qila police on Wednesday foiled a terror bid by recovering three roadside bombs, which were later defused by the bomb disposal squad personnel.

Police officials said someone informed them about suspicious things lying along the newly-constructed Bishgram road. Later, the explosive devices were recovered and defused.

The officials said the bombs were meant to target vehicles. The news spread fear and panic among locals.

A few days ago, the house of a former district councillor was attacked with a remote controlled bomb, but luckily there was no causality.

Similarly, three cops were injured when a mobile van of the Haya Serai police station was hit by a roadside IED on Aug 31, while another police post in Kumbar Maidan was attacked with rockets by unknown miscreants on the night of Aug 11.

Residents of Maidan told Dawn that law and order was deteriorating in the region. They said there had also been some unreported incidents of terror during the current month. The residents demanded of the government and the security forces to take appropriate steps for safeguarding lives of the people.

The Maidan area in Lower Dir, the home town of late Maulana Sufi Mohammad, the founder of banned Tehreek Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi, once remained the stronghold of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in early 2009.

Published in Dawn, October 1st , 2020