Pakistani police launch search for militants who captured an office in Peshawar

The police have launched an operation in a posh locality of Peshawar, the capital city of Pakistan’s troubled North West Frontier Province (NWFP) bordering volatile tribal region, after over a dozen militants captured the site office of a civic department.

According to reports reaching here from Peshawar, the operation was launched late Saturday night in the posh Regi Lalma Township and surroundings after receiving reports that around 15-20 armed militants captured the site of the City Development & Municipal Department.

Reports said that around 300 policemen, equipped with sophisticated arms and armoured personnel carriers, were rushed to the area and they launched search operation as the militants slipped into the adjoining Khyber tribal region after vacating the building.

Capital City Police Officer Dr Suleman said the militants vacated the captured building and fled the scene one by one. “Search operation has been launched in the area and police are moving forward carefully. Initially, there were reports of the presence of 15 to 20 armed men in the building but we have moved a heavy contingent of police,” reports quoted Inspector General of Police (IGP) Malik Naveed as saying.

However, some reports suggested that the militants, who were equipped with rocket launchers and other sophisticated weapons, were 50 to 60 in number. But a senior police officer termed the reports as mere rumours. “They 12 to 15 and policemen besieged the area when the watchman of the building informed police,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kashif Alam reportedly said from the scene, adding that no firing took place.