Daily Times

QUETTA: A policeman was martyred and another sustained bullet injuries on Wednesday when unidentified armed men opened fire at their vehicle in Shalkot area of the provincial capital.

Soon after the incident, the law enforcement agencies roped off the crime scene and began gathering the evidences.

A search operation has also been launched in the adjoining areas to look for the culprits of the deadly attack.

This attack was the second to take place within a week.

The city has witnessed a rise in number of attacks on police personnel recently.

On February 28, two police officials were martyred when armed men opened fire on the vehicle of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hameedullah Dasti on Samungli Road.

Police officials said the policemen suffered fatal bullet wounds in the gun attack and died on the spot, however, DSP Hameedullah Dasti remained unhurt.

Deputy Inspector General Quetta said that the DSP remained safe owing to his bullet proof vehicle while two of his gunmen sitting in the back seat were martyred in the attack.

The assailants managed to flee from the scene after the attack. No terrorist group has claimed the responsibility of the incident.

Balochistan, the southwestern province of Pakistan, has experienced a trail of incidents of violence and targeted killings for over a decade. The province faces a host of security challenges with security personnel in the province often being targeted in roadside explosions, suicide attacks and targeted killings.

Published in Daily Times, March 8^th 2018.