QUETTA / BAJAUR: Five security personnel emb­ra­ced martyrdom in gunfight with terrorists and blasts in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces on Saturday, officials said.

Having received intelligence about the presence of externally supported terrorists in surrounding areas of Turbat, security forces conducted an operation in the Hoshab area of Balochistan.

According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) release, an engagem­ent ensued in which terrorists suffered heavy losses.

During the engagement, Sepoy Ramzan, a resident of Sargodha, and Lance Naik Liaqat lqbal, a resident of Swabi, sacrificed their lives fighting valiantly.

In a related incident, while clearing an improvi­sed explosive device planted by terrorists along a route frequented by civilians, Sepoy lnamullah, a resident of Lakki Marwat, embraced martyrdom.

Pakistan’s security forces remain are determined to defeat acts of cowardly terrorists, aimed at disrupting peace, stability and progress of Balochistan, the ISPR said.

According to Rescue 1122, a remote-controlled device exploded at about 10am in Raghagan, the native town of KP Minster for Zakat and Ushr Anwarzeb Khan. Two policemen were martyred in the incident.

District police officer Abdul Samad Khan told reporters that both the policemen were on their way to Raghagan dam for routine security assignments when the bomb exploded with a big bang.

A police team, led by SHO Qabil Shah, reached the scene of the blast and cordoned off the locality. Rescue 1122 staff along with police personnel shifted the bodies to the district headquarters hospital, Khar, for medico-legal formalities.

The bodies of Havladar Mohammad Hayian and constable Siraj Khan were brought to the police line in Khar for funeral.

Scores of people from different walks of life, including provincial minister Anwarzeb Khan, attended the funeral prayers. Later, the bodies were dispatched to their native areas in Salarzai tehsil for burial.

No group claimed responsibility for the blast.

Officials said a search operation has been launched in the area to track down the elements involved in the incident.

Saturday’s blast was the second such attack in Bajaur tribal district during the past four weeks.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2021