BAJAUR / SHANGLA: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior provincial leader Sayed Akhunzada Chattan escaped unhurt in a roadside explosion in Mamund tehsil of district Bajaur on Wednesday evening, police said.

Police and party sources told Dawn that the incident occurred in the Badan area after sunset, adding that Mr Chattan, who was also the party candidate for NA-8, was returning home after attending a corner meeting in connection with his electoral campaign when a bomb planted along the road hit his bombproof vehicle.

However, they said that fortunately, Mr Chattan, along with all of his companions sitting in the vehicle, remained safe in the explosion.

Police said that Mr Chattan and his companions were later transported to his home in the Amankoot area of Khar tehsil in a vehicle arranged by his party workers of the area, adding that police collected evidence from the blast site and launched an investigation.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Police party under fire

Meanwhile, a police party in district Shangla remained safe after it came under fire in the Chawga area of Puran tehsil on Wednesday.

District Police Officer of Shangla, Imran Khan, told Dawn that a police party with men from the counter-terrorism department, special branch, elite force, and district police was carrying out a search following intelligence against the criminals when the “police party came under militant attack”.

The DPO said the incident took place at Chawga — an area on the border between Shangla and Buner, adding that the fire came from Dag Sar area of Buner.

He said that it was a sniper gun and small weapons that damaged the police van and armoured vehicle; however, police personnel remained unhurt in the attack.

Mr Khan said the “firing between police and militants continued for an hour, and as a result of strong retaliatory response, the militants fled the scene”, adding that the search and strike operation continued until late in the evening.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2024