Two suspected militants riding on a motorcycle opened fire on two policemen manning a roadside checkpoint on the outskirts of the federal capital, Islamabad, killing both of them before fleeing the scene, the police said on Wednesday. The attack took place on Tuesday night in Tarnol area and was reportedly claimed by Hizbul Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban.
According to the initial police investigation, two gunmen were involved in the attack and they opened fire when the officers signaled for them to stop. Islamabad Inspector General of Police Amir Zulfiqar Khan condemned the attack and ordered a probe.
The funeral for the two slain officers, Sajid Ahmed and Mohsin Zafar, was held before dawn on Wednesday.
The policemen were identified as Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mohsin Zafar and Head Constable Sajjad. A police spokesperson said two teams have been constituted to investigate the incident, adding that they will work under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (SP) Investigation Syed Mustafa Tanveer and SP Saddar. IG Khan also visited the site of the incident and directed that the suspects be arrested as soon as possible. He told the investigation team to use all available resources for the purpose, the spokesman said.
The attack comes as Pakistan, a country of 220 million people, struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
