Lady Constable martyred, husband and child injured in Turbat shooting

QUETTA:

A policewoman was martyred, while her husband and child were injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire on them in Turbat, Balochistan, on Saturday, the Balochistan Interior Ministry confirmed.

According to Interior Ministry aide Babar Yousafzai, “This morning in Turbat, the brave Balochistan girl and police officer, Lady Constable Shakeela, was martyred in a terrorist attack.”

He said killing the policewoman in front of her children was an act of open terrorism and extreme brutality, adding that the terrorists fired 31 bullets at an innocent family.

“Attacks against women and children demonstrate the cowardly mentality of terrorists, and “Fitna al-Hindustan” shows no respect for innocent women or children,” he said.

Yousafzai said the brave policewoman had sacrificed her life for the country and her sacrifice would not be in vain.

“The people of Balochistan and the security forces are united against terrorism, and the terrorist elements are nearing their logical end. The morale of women personnel remains high and the fight against terrorism will continue,” he added.

Yousafzai said that “Fitna al-Hindustan” wanted to deprive Baloch youth of education and that targeting female staff and teachers constituted open terrorism.

“Professor Ghamkhwar Hayat was also martyred this morning, while Gwadar University Vice-Chancellor Dr Razaq Sabir and Dr Manzoor are feared to have also been kidnapped by ‘Fitna al-Hindustan’,” he added.

He further said that terrorists want to close the doors of education in Balochistan; however, the people of Balochistan have rejected the agenda of terrorism and ignorance.

“The aim of terrorists is to spread fear, ignorance and unrest in Balochistan, while anti-education elements seek to darken the future of Baloch youth. Baloch people, teachers and security forces are united against terrorism,” he said.

According to police, the incident took place near the Absar Research Farm area in Turbat, where Shakeela was traveling on a motorbike with her husband, Sunil Jan, and their child to the market when unidentified assailants opened indiscriminate fire on them.

As a result of the shooting, Shakeela died instantly, while her husband and child were seriously injured.

The police registered a case and launched a search operation for the attackers, while security was reinforced at the entrances and exits of the city.

Read: Violence in Quetta leaves 21 dead in one month

Later, in a statement, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the martyred constable and said that “the brave girl of Balochistan sacrificed her life for the country while discharging her duty.”

He said Constable Shakeela had achieved the “great status of a martyr” and added that “the nation salutes the brave girl who gave her life”.

Naqvi said the sacrifice of the slain policewoman would always be remembered, describing female officers like her as “the pride of the nation”. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of Shakeela’s husband and son, who were injured in the attack.