Wanted militant surrenders before police

Ghulam Mursalin Marwat

LAKKI MARWAT:  A hardcore militant laid down arms and surrendered before local police on Tuesday.

An official said that the militant Shafqatullah was wanted by law enforcement agencies in several militancy cases including Shah Hasankhel suicide blast. Over 100 villagers including security personnel had been killed in the blast that took place on Jan 1, 2010 when a suicide bomber had blew up his double door pickup truck in the middle of volleyball game.

“The arrested militant had also his involvement in attacks on district police office, police lines and city police post when militancy was on peak in the southern district”, maintained the official, adding that Shafqatullah was also wanted by police in cases of blowing up a water supply schemes in Lakki city, a government primary school in Shah Hasankhel village and a house in Dhoda village.

The official said that police with the help of other law enforcement agencies arrested score of militants during previous years and successfully restored peace in the district. “The surrender of Shafqatullah is a great achievement and it will help strengthen efforts of law enforcement agencies to eliminate militancy and terrorism completely”, he added.

Meanwhile, Police claimed to have arrested a hardened criminal after a brief exchange of fire in Sherikhel village on Tuesday.

Police was tipped off about the presence of  the outlaw whereupon a  large contingent of Shaheed Haibat Ali Khan police station of Darra Pezu town was dispatched to the village”, said an official. He said that policemen came under attack when they were laying a siege around the hideout criminal.

“The cops returned the fire and the shootout continued for some time”, he maintained. He said that a constable Bakht Jamal received bullet wounds in the exchange of firing but his condition was stated to be out of danger.

The official said that police overpowered the outlaw identified as Zahid Islam wanted in a rape case and seized a rifle and bullets from him