KOHAT, Pakistan: A brave Pakistani citizen sacrificed his life while intercepting a suicide bomber near the inter-provincial border between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, preventing a potentially major attack on a security post and nearby civilians.
According to locals, the incident occurred near the Khushal Garh Bridge area linking Jand and Kohat.
Locals said the suicide bomber, a terrorist affiliated with the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group, was moving through fields near the inter-provincial border of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when he was confronted by a local resident identified as Liaquat.
Locals said Liaquat, a resident of Village Mankoor in Attock district’s Jand tehsil, stopped the suicide bomber and questioned his identity.
According to locals and officials, the suicide bomber detonated explosives after being confronted by citizen Liaquat.
Liaquat was martyred in the blast, while the suicide bomber was also killed on the spot, officials said.
According to locals, Liaquat was a retired employee of Pakistan Railways.
Initial assessments suggested the attacker was attempting to reach a sensitive security check post located near the intersection area between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Liaquat’s timely intervention and bravery prevented a massive loss of life, acting as a “wall of lead” to protect both the security post and numerous civilians in the vicinity, officials said.
Security analysts said the incident is part of continuing terrorist attacks by TTP terrorists operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban regime to prevent Afghanistan’s territory from being used by terrorist groups to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
However, the Taliban regime failed to take any verifiable actions against terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil and instead supported terrorist groups, including TTP.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Afghan Taliban Chargé d’Affaires to deliver a strong demarche regarding an IED attack carried out by terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij on a police post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu District, which martyred 15 police constables.
The state uses the term “Fitna al-Khawarij” to refer to the Indian backed terrorist groups, especially the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group.
“The Ministry conveyed that a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicates that the attack was masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Reiterating Pakistan’s grave concern over the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorist attacks against Pakistan, it was impressed upon the Afghan side that Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively against the perpetrators of this barbaric act,” it added.
The statement further highlighted that the continued presence of various terrorist organisations on Afghan soil, and the permissive environment enabling their operations, have been well documented in reports by the UN Monitoring Team and other international organisations.
The Khushal Garh Bridge incident reflects the ongoing attempts by terrorists supported by the Afghan Taliban regime to target Pakistani civilians and security personnel, according to security analysts.
However, Pakistan’s armed forces, police, and the brave citizens continue to stand firm against their nefarious designs.
“The nation will never forget the sacrifice of Martyr Liaquat. Brave citizens like him are the true assets of Pakistan,” an official said.
