Three injured in Lower Dir blast

LOWER DIR: Three people were injured in a remote control blast in Sori Pao village of Maidan area on Wednesday.

Police said the vehicle of Village Defence Committee member, Toti Rehman, was en route to the bazaar from the village when it came under attack. Subsequently, Rehman and two others were injured. They were shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Lal Qila.

However, Dir Task Force Commandant Colonel Khalid Mehmood Shafi said none of the injured belonged to the Village Defence Committee. Shafi said they were locals who were attacked over a conflict on water.

He added three people have been arrested in connection with the blast.

Attacks on peace committee members have taken place in the area. Between 2016 and 2017 so far, at least four Village Defence Committee members have been killed in separate attacks.

According to reports, a peace committee member, Hatim Khan, was killed in January this year. Police said the assailants opened fire on a peace committee member and a Kissan councillor in Jandool area of Lower Dir. The incident was said to be a targetted attack as locals said the deceased did not have enmity with anyone.