Four policemen injured as armed assailants attack prisoners' vans in Islamabad

Islamabad: Armed assailants on Friday attacked prisoners’ vans in the suburbs of Pakistan's capital city Islamabad, injuring at least four policemen escorting the inmates.

The attackers ambushed three prison vans at the Sangjani Toll Plaza near Islamabad when they were transporting 82 prisoners arrested during the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's protest at D-Chowk in the capital, a police statement said.

It said the prisoners were being transferred to Attock Jail after an appearance before the district magistrate here when about 20 suspects riding in four vehicles attacked the vans.

It said the attackers were loaded with arms and weapons like sticks and stones.

“Four police officers were injured in the attack while four attackers were arrested,” the statement added. “Two vehicles and weapons belonging to the suspects were seized.” The statement also said the police formed teams to arrest the suspects and launched search operations in different areas.

It said the prisoners, who escaped during the attack, were recaptured by the police.

According to details, the prisoners included 34 arrested police personnel from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 42 Rescue 1122 personnel, and six PTI leaders, including two provincial lawmakers. They were brought to Islamabad for a case.

Meanwhile, the government and PTI traded allegations, accusing each other of being involved in the attack.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the attack was carried out by the PTI to free the prisoners and warned the suspected attackers would be arrested.

“This was a planned-out attack,” Tarar said, adding that action would be taken against the culprits.

PTI leader Sheikh Waqqas Akram in a video statement condemned the attack and alleged that Islamabad police were behind it.

He said the accused were discharged from the case but the government arrested them in another matter.

He said the Tarnol police station in Islamabad staged the attack to launch a fresh case against them.

“Tarnol SHO (Station House Officer) Shabbir Tanoli and his team broke the prison van windows, opened the doors, forcefully pulled the prisoners out, and made them stand,” Akram alleged.

He urged the media to reach the scene and claimed that authorities were trying to trap PTI supporters in another case.