BANNU: A major tragedy was prevented on Saturday when police in Bannu successfully neutralised an explosive device planted to blow up a key bridge near Basia Khel.
A team from the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) safely defused the improvised explosive device, which officials said contained between eight and ten kilograms of explosives. The device had been fixed to the central pillar of the structure, posing a serious threat to the area’s infrastructure and residents.
Local villagers praised the swift police response, saying that those responsible for such acts of sabotage should face strict action. Regional Police Officer (RPO) Bannu, Sajjad Khan, confirmed that the timely intervention prevented significant damage.
He added that eliminating groups seeking to harm the public remains a top priority for law enforcement.
The incident comes a day after a deadly militant assault on the office of the Howaid Peace Committee in Bannu, where seven people were killed and another was injured. The attack has heightened tensions in the district, prompting increased security deployment. Police have begun investigations, and the casualties have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital.
