SHANGLA: Police checkpoints in remote areas of Shangla district are vulnerable to terrorist attacks as they are located in isolated regions surrounded by forests.

A sharp uptick has been witnessed in the terror attacks in the district after Taliban took over in Afghanistan, according to the police.

This reporter visited the police check-post in Gunangar area of Chakesar tehsil and the posts located in Puran tehsil, and found these vulnerable to terrorist attacks because of their isolated locations, poorly constructed buildings with no security cameras.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior police officer confirmed to Dawn the vulnerability of the check-posts, and criticised the previous district police officers for constructing the check-posts in isolated locations.

Official says some posts located in isolated places surrounded by forests

“The Muslim Kandaw checkpost, which borders the Buner district, has been attacked thrice this year. Last time, it was attacked on December 14.”

The police officer said that a surge in terrorist activities occurred after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. “Some terrorists, originally from Shangla, returned to their hometowns in Kabalgram area of Martung and Titwalan, which borders Buner district. Upon their return, they began targeting police personnel,” he said.

He revealed that 7-8 wanted terrorists had returned to Shangla, but they were still at large.

On the night of December 17, over 30 terrorists stormed a police checkpost in Gunangar area of Chakesar, which is located around 10 kilometres from the KKH in Dandai area. The attack left an assistant sub-inspect and a constable dead, and caused injuries to three others.

A police constable, Arshad Khan, who was injured in the attack, told Dawn that he was on duty in the banker along the entry gate of the checkpost when their dog started barking. “When we opened the gate, militants started firing at us, injuring me and ASI Mohammad Hassan.”

He said there used to be 15 to 20 policemen at the checkpost, but six to eight of them were on an anti-polio duty when the attack took place.

“I crawled from the gate to the side of the banker. Hassan was already inside in the banker and responding to terrorists despite being injured. The checkpost was being fired at from all directions. Meanwhile, a rocket was fired, causing a huge sound. There were more than 30 terrorists,” Arshad, who received bullets in his leg and arm, said.

ASI Hassan had died on the spot.

Replying to a question, the police constable said they did not hear about the movement of terrorists when they surrounded the checkpost. “The main reason why our checkpost was a soft target was because it was located at a distance from the Gunangar village.”

Abdul Maula Khan, Puran tehsil chairman, told Dawn that terrorists stormed the checkposts at night and swiftly retreated into the surrounding dense forests, where police could not immediately respond because of limited resources. He claimed the police could not eliminate terrorism if they were facing financial constraints.

Abdul Maula also criticised the police for not installing security cameras at the posts. He called for improving security arrangements at the checkposts, besides further enhancing the intelligence capacity of the police and other law enforcement agencies to take on the terrorists effectively.

The Puran tehsil chairman questioned as to where the funds the prime minister allocated for the Operation Azm-i-Istehkam had gone, and why the army did not use aerial firepower and other resources to eliminate terrorists from the district.

Shangla district police officer Imran Khan told Dawn that after the recent attack he had shut the Gunangar and Dawoot checkposts.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024