PESHAWAR: Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police Ashraf Noor was martyred while six other policemen were injured in a suicide blast in the Hayatabad area of provincial capital Friday morning. Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Tahir Khan told media that the blast appeared to be a suicide attack. He said the attacker rammed his motorbike into the vehicle carrying the AIG near Zarghooni Mosque on Hayatabad Phase I and II’s junction as he was on way to the Central Police Office. “Ashraf Noor died on the spot while his gunmen were injured who were rushed to the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC),” he said, adding his vehicle was badly damaged in the blast. According to Rescue 1122, AIG Noor and his guard Habibullah lost their lives while six other policemen sustained injuries in the explosion. “Some 15-20 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast,” according to Bomb Disposal Squad official Shafqat Malik. According to an initial investigation report compiled shortly after the explosion, the suicide attacker was identified as an 18-20 years old youth. After the blast, security officials cordoned off the site and launched a search operation in the surrounding areas. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Funeral prayers for the slain AIG were offered at the police lines in the city during which contingents of police paid rich tributes to the martyred official. “Ashraf Noor was a faithful and principled officer and his martyrdom has given the KP police a new resolve to continue its fight against terrorism,” IG Salahuddin Khan said while speaking to the media. In this fight, the IG continued, “provincial police needs coordination and prayers of the general public so that we could continue this war bravely.” AIG Ahsraf Noor, son of Haji Ali Muhammad, hailed from Gilgit-Baltistan. Born in April, 1963, he obtained a Master of Science in Agriculture before joining the Police Services of Pakistan after clearing superior services exam in 1989. During his career, AIG Noor held several key positions including DPO Kahota, DOP Chitral, DPO Kohistan, DIG Special Branch and Commandant PTC Hangu. He was transferred to the Frontier Constabulary on July 13 last year. He was posted as Additional IG Elite Force on March 08, 2017 and subsequently posted as Additional IG HQ on April 25 this year. He was due to retire from his service in 2023. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi strongly condemned the blast as he lauded the sacrifices of policemen in the fight against terrorism. He said that dastardly acts of the militants cannot deter law enforcement agencies and the nation in taking the fight to its logical conclusion. Published in Daily Times, November 25th 2017.