Perpetrators of Peshawar FC HQ attack likely Afghan citizens, says KP police chief

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IG) Zulfiqar Hameed on Tuesday said the perpetrators of yesterday’s suicide attack on the Federal Constabulary (FC) Headquarters in Peshawar were likely Afghan citizens.

Investi­gators and intelligence agencies are hunting for facilitators and support networks behind the attack, which saw three personnel embrace martyrdom and 12 sustain injuries.

The attack, which began after a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance, was swiftly repulsed as personnel engaged and shot his two accomplices dead before they could enter the installation to inflict any major damage.

Questioned about the progress of the investigation and whether any evidence had come to the fore about the assailants being Afghan citizens, IG Hameed said: “We are saying this because, based on the evidence so far, when someone does not have a citizenship record, they are assumed to be Afghan or something similar.”

He confirmed that authorities had identified the location where the terrorists spent the night before attacking the FC Headquarters. However, he added that no facilitators had been arrested so far.

IG Hameed added that the CCTV footage showing their arrival was obtained and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) was working to verify their identities.

The KP police chief elaborated that the authorities were also determining the route the terrorists used to enter Peshawar.

He further said that the terrorists’ motorcycle was seized and fingerprints taken from the vehicle were now part of the ongoing forensic investigation.

IG Hameed highlighted that recent measures taken by the KP Police had significantly reduced terrorist incidents, and the provincial police force was being equipped with weapons, modern technology, including anti-drone systems, and bulletproof jackets and vehicles for officials and police stations.

He praised the bravery of the KP Police, noting that despite operating in a stressful environment, the force continued to make sacrifices for peace in the region.