• Three personnel martyred repulsing assault during morning assembly; all assailants swiftly gunned down
• First attacker detonated himself at entrance to clear path for accomplices; state media says all three were Afghan nationals
• KP CM visits the injured at Lady Reading Hospital; president denounces bombing, PM lauds forces for ‘timely action’
PESHAWAR: Investigators and intelligence agencies are hunting for facilitators and support networks behind an attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters here on Monday, which saw three personnel embrace martyrdom and 12 sustain injuries.
The attack, which began after a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the FC headquarters, was swiftly repulsed as personnel engaged and shot his two accomplices dead before they could enter the installation to inflict any major damage.
The three attackers ostensibly planned to target the FC’s weekly assembly near the main gate on Sonehri Masjid Road, where around 400 personnel had gathered.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed Ahmad said three militants tried to attack the headquarters in the morning. The first blew himself up at the main gate, while two others managed to enter the premises.
However, snipers and the armoured personnel carrier (APC) engaged the remaining bombers, restricting them to a parking lot reserved for motorbikes, he said, adding that the bombers sustained injuries in precise shots fired by the snipers and personnel from the APC.
Initial investigations revealed that the bombers had been waiting to carry out the attack. They reached the area at 7:35am while they executed the attack at 7:50am, the official said, hinting at a possible security breach that was the focus of their investigation.
“The bomber can be seen in the area at around 7:35am; the question is why did he take at least 25 minutes to carry out the attack despite the fact that he had passed the main gate twice — once while riding on a motorbike and then on foot,” a senior official said, fearing possible ‘facilitation’ from inside the headquarters.
CCTV footage showed the first suicide bomber, clad in a chador, approaching the main gate and blowing himself up, clearing the path for his accomplices, who were waiting at a distance. These bombers had arrived on a motorbike and travelled towards the FC HQ via Charsadda Road. Their movement was also captured around the Nishtar Hall.
During the investigation, it was revealed that they had been carrying backpacks, which suggested that they might have planned to take hostages once inside the premises.
According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, initial investigations revealed that all three terrorists involved in the attack were Afghan nationals.
It said that weapons and explosives were recovered from the deceased militants, adding that the specific identities of the Afghan terrorists were being ascertained.
According to an APP report, investigations were underway to trace the facilitators behind the attempted attack, with intelligence agencies focusing on identifying possible support networks.
The government is also expected to announce enhanced security measures for sensitive federal installations in the coming days, the agency said.
