Encounter with militants in Mattani: Funeral prayers of seven policemen, including SP, offered

The funeral prayers of seven cops including a superintendent rank officer Khurshid Khan, died in a deadly encounter with militants in Mattani area, held here in Police Lines on Monday morning. At least seven police personnel including SP Rural Khurshid Khan were killed when a large number of militants stormed a police post at Ghazi Abad in suburban area adjacent to tribal area on Sunday night.
Those who attended the funeral prayers were included KP Governor Barrister Masood Kausar, CM Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Senior Ministers Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Rahimdad Khan, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, IGP Akbar Khan Hoti, provincial ministers, MPAs and elites and residents of the City and police officials in large number.
A smart contingent of KP Police presented guard of honour to the coffins of the deceased. Later, the body of the slain SP was shifted to Dhagi Charsadda for burial. Tight security arrangements were made on this occasion. According to Police, the valiant SP Rural Khurshid Khan and six other cops had laid down their lives when numbers of heavily armed militants attacked the Ghaziabad check post in Mathani area and opened indiscriminate fire at the police. The exchange of firing continued for several hours. The dead include three policemen including SP Rural and four personnel of Frontier Constabulary. There are reports that several militants were also killed in the firing whose bodies were taken away by their escaping accomplices.
Talking to media after attending funeral prayers, CM Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said that cowardly terror attacks on Police and Malala Yusufzai would not deter the resolve of government in the war against terror. He said that a handful of elements would not be allowed to impose their own agenda on majority. He said peace in Afghanistan and Fata was imperative for establishment of durable peace in KP. In fact, the CM was of the view that peace in Afghanistan, Fata and KP was interlinked.