LAKKI MARWAT: Lakki Marwat police Friday night averted a suicide attack on an Imambargah in Mohallah Saidan area of Lakki Marwat District when they shot dead a suspected suicide bomber.

According to police officials, the suspected bomber was stopped at a check point near the Imambarghah but he opened fired on the police and was subsequently shot dead.

District Police Officer (DPO) Idrees Khan said the bomber, who was wearing a blanket, was stopped at a check post near Masjid Ghosia in Mohalla Bagbanan.

The check point is an entry point to Shia community’s Mohallah Saidan.

The DPO said, “the suspect bomber instead opened fire on the police and ran away into a narrow street to escape.”

“He then threw a hand grenade at the policemen but was subsequently killed after his vest exploded due to police firing when he reached at the dead end of the street,” Khan added.

Some sources said the suicide bomber was riding a rickshaw and when stopped by the police he opened fired and attacked the police with a hand grenade.

Police reports suggest no causalities however two policemen sustained minor injuries amid the vest explosion.

The officials added that the probable target of the suicide bomber was an ongoing Majlis-i-Aza going at the residence of a Shia leader Syed Zahoor Abbas Shah or the Imambargah in Mohllah Saidan but timely response of the police averted a huge loss of lives.

Meanwhile, reports said that a blast had been heard in Gilgit Baltistan as well. However, according to police officials there are no casualties.