Tank: At least seven police personnel, including a station house officer, were martyred on Monday when a police armored personnel carrier (APC) was hit by a powerful blast in the Gomal area of Tank district.
According to police spokesman, the explosive device exploded near Kot Wali Canal on Gomal-Jatta Road when the APC mobile of Gomal police station was on routine duty.
The explosion caused severe damage to the vehicle, resulting in the martyrdom of all police officials on board. The martyrs were identified as Gomal Police Station SHO Ishaq Khan, Sub-Inspector Sher Aslam Khan, Constable Abdul Majeed, Constable Arshad Ali (Elite Force), Constable Hazrat Ali, Constable Allah Khan, and Constable Ehsanullah.
Soon after the incident, District Police Officer (DPO) Tank Shabbir Hussain Shah reached the site along with senior police officers and a heavy contingent. The area was cordoned off, evidence was collected, and a search and clearance operation was launched to trace the perpetrators.
The bodies of the martyrs were shifted to the hospital, where legal formalities, including post-mortems, were completed under the supervision of the DPO. Police officials said investigations are underway from multiple angles and efforts are being made to arrest those involved in the attack.
Later, the funeral prayers of the martyred police personnel were offered at Police Lines Tank with full state honors.The funeral was attended by Commander SHS, DPO Tank Shabbir Hussain Shah, Deputy Commissioner Tank Tanveer Ahmed, SP Investigation Asif Mahmood, DSP Headquarters Naqeebullah Khan Marwat, and a large number of police officers and personnel.
Floral wreaths were placed on the coffins, and a police contingent presented a salute to the martyrs. Special prayers were offered for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks and for peace and stability in the country.
Senior officers paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the fallen policemen and vowed that their sacrifice would not go in vain, reaffirming the resolve to continue operations against elements threatening peace and security in the region.