SWABI: Adviser to the chief minister on industry Abdul Karim on Saturday claimed that the district police officer’s failure to ensure adequate security checks led to the Friday mob attack on him in Chota Lahor area.

Mr Karim and accompanying policemen were attacked with bricks and stones by some youngsters, including PTI workers, at the site for a girl's higher secondary school in Janazgha area as they showed up for the stone-laying ceremony.

The chief minister’s aide told a news conference that though he survived the attack, DSP Taj Mohammad, SHO Ajab Durrani and former tehsil nazim Sohail Khan suffered injuries.

Mr Karim claimed that the mob said it won’t allow the school’s construction in Janazgha.

He said he had formally informed the DPO about the project inauguration in advance but was told that the land, which belonged to the educating department, was occupied.

The CM aide said he also conveyed to the DPO his fears about troubles during the visit.

“The DPO is responsible for the incident as he neither ordered the installation of a walk-through gate at the stone-laying ceremony nor did he ensure that the venue is cordoned off despite knowing about the sensitivity of the issue,” he said.

Mr Karim said when he reached Swabi Interchange of the Peshawar Motorway, two police vehicles were present there.

He said the policemen wanted to take him straight to the project venue but he went to the party leader’s hujra and learnt about the ground situation.

“When we reached the venue afterward, the police silently watched the whole drama,” he said.

Mr Karim said he knew who were behind the incident but he would neither lodge an FIR against them nor would present a privilege motion on the incident in the provincial assembly.

He said he had forgiven the youth involved in the incident as they didn’t know who used them for own political ends. He said the school would be built at the designated place in line with the chief minister’s orders.

DROWNED: A man drowned in the Indus River in Batakara area on Saturday.

The deceased, Ismail Khan of Baja village, had gone to the river to beat the heat.

The Rescue 1122 said search for the body was under way.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2021