Policeman martyred, several injured in Islamabad suicide attack

ISLAMABAD: A policeman was martyred and six others, including four fellow cops,  were injured in a suicide blast reported in Islamabad‘s I-10/4 sector, ARY News reported on Friday quoting police.

Addressing the media at the blast site, Deputy Inspector General of Police Sohail Zafar Chattha said that the police spotted a “suspicious vehicle” with a man and a woman aboard in the I-10/4 area.

“When the police stopped the vehicle for routine checking, the man detonated himself,” he said in a media briefing, adding that Eagle Squad cop was martyred in the blast while four others were injured.

The slain officer was identified as Head Constable Adeel Hussain.

خود کش دھماکے میں ہیڈ کانسٹیبل عدیل حسین درجہ شہادت پر فائز ہوگئے۔

اسلام آباد کیپیٹل پولیس کی بروقت کارروائی سے شہر دہشتگردی کے بڑے حملے سے محفوظ رہے۔

شھداء اور زخمی جوانوں کو قوم کا سلام۔ pic.twitter.com/EbPkkPPQn1

— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) December 23, 2022

Rescue and security services reached the site after the explosion and cordoned off the area. A further investigation into the incident has begun, said police.

The injured cops have been moved to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Condemnations

Soon after the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned condemned the terror incident and summoned a report from relevant authority.

The PM also paid tribute to the martyred policemen, adding that the nation pays tribute to its martyrs. He also announced a martyr package for the family of Head Constable Adeel Hussain.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the blast and expressed grief over the martyrdom of the policeman.

وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی اسلام آباد میں بم دھماکے کی مذمت

بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی دھماکے میں پولیس کے ایک جوان کی شہادت پر اظہار افسوس

وزیر خارجہ کا اسلام آباد پولیس کے بہادر جوانوں کو خراج تحسین @BBhuttoZardari

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) December 23, 2022

Reacting to the blast, opposition leader Asad Umar said that the presence of the suicide bomber shows how fast the country is “heading towards destruction”.