SOUTH WAZIRISTAN/CHARSADDA: A soldier of the Pak Army embraced martyrdom during an exchange of fire with militants in South Waziristan on Friday, the police said.

The police said a hawaldar of army was martyred during an exchange of fire between the security forces and militants in Khaisur area of the district.

They said security forces launched an intelligence-based operation following information about presence of militants in the area.

“An exchange of fire took place between security forces and militants, in which hawaldar Zameen Khan embraced martyrdom,” an official said.

No official statement was issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing, till filing of this report.

Meanwhile, the police said two persons were killed by unknown persons in Zeri Noor area near the Wana Cadet College soon after a 20-year-old boy was kidnapped from the Wana Bazaar.

They said according to locals, some unknown persons, travelling in a non-custom paid vehicle, chased the abductors from the Wana market.

In Charsadda, a police constable got critical injuries after unknown miscreants riding a motorcycle opened fire on him in Utmanzai area on Friday, officials said.

They said Muzamil Khan was on way home on his bicycle after performing duty at police lines when unknown attackers opened fire on him in Utmanzai area, leaving him critically injured. He was shifted to a hospital in Peshawar.

Soon after the incident, a large contingent of police reached the site, cordoned off the area and started a search operation. Sources said some suspected persons were arrested and shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

A case was registered against unknown attackers under Anti-Terrorism Act’s Section 7 in the Counter-Terrorism Department police station in Mardan.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2023