The information minister visited families of police personnel killed in the attack and injured security personnel at CMH Kohat.
WEB DESK: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar visited the families of police personnel killed in last week’s deadly attack at Kohat Police Lines on Monday, offering condolences and saying the government would continue its fight against terrorism.
Tarar also visited injured personnel at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Kohat and praised the response of police and army personnel who took part in the operation against the attackers.
Tarar visits family of slain policeman
During his visit, Tarar went to the residence of police officer Faheemullah, who was among those killed in the attack. He met Faheemullah’s father, Ikramullah, and offered Fateha, according to state-run Radio Pakistan as cited by The Express Tribune.
Speaking to reporters later, Tarar said the victims had lost their lives while protecting the province and the country. He said the government would not leave the bereaved families alone.
The minister also visited injured personnel at CMH Kohat and said he was impressed by their morale. He praised army and police personnel involved in the operation, including those who were reportedly on leave but returned to join the response.
Government vows continued fight against terrorism
Tarar said the Kohat attack would not weaken the resolve of security forces or the public.
He said the government would continue fighting terrorism until it was eliminated, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also pledged that the government would not rest until terrorism was defeated.
The minister described the attackers as cowards and said the security forces would continue their efforts against militant threats.
Kohat Police Lines attack
According to an initial incident report issued by the DHQ Hospital Kohat medical superintendent and district health officer, at least 21 people — including 15 police personnel and six civilians — were killed in the attack.
The report said an explosion struck a mosque at Kohat Police Lines during Friday prayers at around 1:20pm, followed by an attack involving several armed terrorists. More than 100 people were reported injured.
The medical report recorded 103 injured people at two hospitals: 13 at Liaqat Memorial Hospital and 90 at DHQ Hospital Kohat. The injured included 73 police personnel and 30 civilians.
Thirty-four people were admitted for treatment, while five underwent laparotomy procedures. Four of those patients were referred to tertiary-care facilities in Peshawar.
A later Express Tribune report said the death toll subsequently rose to 23 following the recovery of another police officer’s body.
Police operation and responsibility claim
Police said seven armed terrorists infiltrated the Police Lines after the initial explosion and that six, including the suicide bomber, had been killed at the time of the report.
Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), led by Afghanistan-based Hafiz Gul Bahadur, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to The Express Tribune. The claim has been presented as an attribution and should not be treated as independent verification of responsibility.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory for attacks inside Pakistan.
Tarar criticises K-P government
During his visit, Tarar also criticised Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the PTI-led provincial government over what he described as shortcomings in policing, governance and development.
He questioned the provincial government’s performance in areas including education, health and public welfare. Tarar also alleged that contracts were being awarded to favoured individuals in exchange for payments and questioned the allocation of development funds and gold-mining contracts.
These were political allegations made by Tarar and are not independently established findings in the report.
Warning over planned Islamabad protest
Tarar also addressed PTI’s planned September 27 protest in Islamabad, saying armed groups would not be allowed to move towards the capital.
He rejected PTI’s description of its protests as peaceful and alleged that some participants had previously carried sticks fitted with nails. He said PTI members would be held accountable for any violations.
