MARDAN – At least 13 people including two policemen and four lawyers were killed and more than 50 others injured in a suicide attack near district court of Mardan.
The attacker lobbed a hand grenade at the entrance of the court before exploding himself at the main gate of Mardan district courts, DPO Mardan Faisal Shehzad told to media.
According to DPO Mardan, the attacker was wearing a suicide vest which had 6-8 kilograms of explosives. The DPO further said that the policeman who was martyred had opened fire on the suicide attacker resulting in the vest detonating.
President of the Mardan Bar Association, Amir Hussain said, ‘he was in a room nearby when the bomb detonated. There was dust everywhere, and people were crying loud with pain.’
Lawyers were being targeted because they are “an important part of democracy and these terrorists are opposed to democracy,” he said. “Our morale is not dented.
Bomb disposal squad team has also arrived at the site of the incident. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched the further investigation.
An emergency was placed at District Headquarters Hospital Mardan whereas one of the injured was shifted was shifted to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. The medical condition of several victims was said to be critical.
According to the initial information, four terrorists tried to enter Chrisitan Colony in Warsak village near Warsak Dam where an Army air defence unit is also stationed. The security guards and police deployed at the gate of the Christian Colony exchanged fire with terrorists and in the gun battle, all four terrorists were killed on Friday morning.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the terrorist attack in Mardan. The prime minister said that the terrorists will not get space to hide in Pakistan. He added that the terrorists are showing frustration by attacking soft targets.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif visited the Mardan Medical Complex and inquired after the injured victims of the blast. He also directed the authorities concerned to provide best medical care to those admitted to the hospital.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pervez Khattak and Corps Commander Peshawar Lieutenant General Hayat-ur-Rehman accompanied COAS on his visit to Mardan Medical Complex. He met the victims and inquired about their health.
Imran Khan also condemned the Mardan incident. He tweeted:
Shocking & condemnable targeting of Innocent civilians by terrorists in Christian Colony on outskirts of Peshawar & Distt Courts Mardan.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 2, 2016