LOWER DIR/LAKKI MARWAT: Personnel of Frontier Corps repulsed an attack on the historic Churchill Picket near the Chakdara Dir Scouts’ Fort in Lower Dir on Sunday night, officials and residents said.

Residents said the exchange of fire continued for about two hours.

After the retaliatory attack, the militants escaped taking advantage of the darkness.

A police official told Dawn that the matter was being investigated by the Counter-Terrorism Department.

Meanwhile, a police van was partially damaged when an improvised explosive device went off in Bezankhel area of Bannu on Monday.

An official said the IED planted by unknown miscreants along the roadside exploded with a bang when a police van was passing the spot.

He said the policemen were on a security duty in connection with the ongoing anti-polio drive.

“After the explosion a large police contingent reached the venue, cordoned off the area and launched a search for the perpetrators,” he said.

The official said the experts of the bomb disposal squad also visited the place and collected evidence.

Separately, a Frontier Constabulary (FC) official was released on Monday following successful negotiations between local elders and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants in the Hassankhel sub-division – an area located on the boundary between Peshawar and Kohat districts, sources said.

“Naib Subedar Sardar Khan was picked up but he has been released in exchange for Rs200,000 along with his gun and a magazine of 75 rounds,” local sources said, adding that it was not a case related to militancy and there were reports that Khan was picked for allegedly video-taping women.

When contacted, SP Saddar division Zaman Khan said there were reports about an ongoing issue between two families but stated that it was yet to be confirmed if the FC man was picked for allegedly video-taping women.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the banned outfit, TTP claimed responsibility of picking up and later releasing the FC man.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024