Police on Wednesday thwarted a major attempt to smuggle a large cache of arms and ammunition from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Balochistan, arresting a suspect and seizing weapons concealed in a double-cabin pickup truck.
According to Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada, the operation was carried out by suburban circle police following credible intelligence about a vehicle transporting a heavy consignment of illegal arms.
Acting on the tip-off, police set up a checkpoint on the Dera–Bannu Road and intercepted a silver-coloured double-cabin pickup bearing registration number RE-314, travelling from Peshawar towards Dera Ismail Khan. A thorough search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a large quantity of weapons hidden in secret compartments.
The seized cache included three submachine guns (SMGs), 39 pistols of 30 bore, five Mauser-type 30 bore pistols, two M4 rifles, four 9mm pistols, 340 SMG magazines, and 16,430 rounds of ammunition of various calibres.
Police arrested the suspect, identified as Hamidullah, son of Khan Faqir, a resident of Mardan, and seized the vehicle along with the recovered arms. Briefing the media at the Ijaz Shaheed Police Lines, the DPO said the seized weapons were worth millions of rupees and could have been used for terrorist activities.
In a separate incident the same night, police killed three militants in a swift retaliatory operation after an attack on a checkpoint in the Khathi area of DI Khan. DPO Sahibzada said unidentified attackers opened fire on the police post late Wednesday night, but officers responded promptly, forcing the militants to retreat.
During the exchange of fire, two attackers were killed, while one police officer sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment. The DPO praised the courage and professionalism of the police personnel, saying their swift action prevented a major security breach.
Police have launched further investigations to identify and apprehend any remaining suspects linked to the attack and the arms smuggling network.
