Afghan nationals involved in 75% of suicide attacks in KP: IGP

• IGP says probe revealed Afghans involved in suicide attacks.
• CTD offices have been set up in merged districts, adds Khan. 
• Officers with the rank of SP appointed in those offices.

PESHAWAR: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Akhtar Hayat Khan has revealed that Afghan nationals were involved in 75% of suicide attacks carried out in the province in the recent wave of terrorism.

“Fingerprints of the suicide bombers revealed that they were Afghan citizens,” said Khan in an interview with Geo News. He added that the Afghan nationals were involved in the Ali Masjid, Bara, Hangu, Bajaur and police lines suicide attacks.

While talking about the increasing number of cases of extortion in the province, the KP police chief said that locals and Afghan nationals involved in extortion have been arrested.

KP’s top cop said that 76 cases of extortion were reported this year out of which they were able to trace 49 calls.

While sharing details, IG Khan said that they were able to trace a criminal who was making extortion calls to a “big businessman” from Peshawar. He also shared that the extortionists who were making calls to local contractors in southern districts have also been caught.

“Extortionists were arrested from Chitral, Mohmand and Bajaur,” said the KP police chief. He added that because of the police action extortion calls have decreased in the province.

IG Khan said that over a year ago the police department was not keeping regular data on the matter but it was no longer the case.

On the arrest of two police officers running a nexus with a group, the IG assured that they were being treated like criminals. He added that after the case was registered, it was referred to the anti-terrorism department.

The IG also shared that CTD offices have been set up in the merged districts and officers of the rank of superintendent have been appointed in those offices.

Pakistan to deport aliens after surge in terror

Following the spate of terrorism, the caretaker government, earlier this week, announced that it will be tightening the noose around illegal "foreigners" and gave them a November 1 deadline to leave the country.

Addressing a press conference following an apex committee meeting on the National Action Plan (NAP) on Tuesday, interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said that the huddle set November 1 as the deadline for the illegal "aliens" to leave the county voluntarily.

The minister had revealed that Afghan nationals were responsible for 14 of the 24 suicide bombings in the country this year. He warned the illegal immigrants to quit Pakistan by November 1 or face forcible expulsion.

The decision came days after a deadly suicide blast in Balochistan’s Mastung, in which over 60 people lost their lives. In most of the recent terror incidents in Pakistan, Afghan nationals or soil was reportedly used.

According to a statistical report released by the independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), at least 271 militant attacks took place during the first half of 2023, resulting in the loss of 389 lives and injuring 656 individuals. Terror activities in the country soared by 79% during the period.