Thaindian News

By Awais Saleem
Islamabad, Aug 28 (IANS) Security forces managed to overpower militants who took two officials hostage and were holed up in an office building after more than 10 hours of gunfight in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar.

“I can now confirm that at least four militants involved in the incident have been arrested and both the hostages are safe,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) of Peshawar, Liaqat Ali, confirmed while talking to media outside the building.

“The militants were hardened terrorists and the incident occurred when the investigation staff was shifting them from one compound to the other,” he informed mediapersons. He said that one guard was slightly injured during the crossfire and the operation was prolonged because the forces wanted to ensure safety of the hostages.

Suspected militants in custody of security agencies in a building near the US consulate in Peshawar Cantonment area had overpowered the officials on duty Saturday morning around 6 a.m. Some terrorists arrested by the security forces from the tribal areas were being kept in the building for investigation.

Armed forces and police cordoned off the entire area and nobody, including the mediapersons, was allowed access to the spot. The area was being patrolled by gunship helicopters and additional contingents of army and Frontier Corps were summoned to take part in the operation.

The building in which the operation took place is adjacent to the US consulate building in Peshawar. The US embassy spokesman in Islamabad, Richard Snelsire, said that the consulate officials were completely safe. “We are taking necessary steps to ensure their safety,” he added.

Senior Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa minister Bashir Bilour’s house is located right opposite the US consulate. Talking to media, he said the terrorists wanted to take advantage of the devastation caused by floods. “We want to give them a message that they will never succeed in their designs.”

(Awais Saleem can be contacted at great_wall165@yahoo.co.uk)