Disciplinary action would be taken against the Hazara regional police officer (RPO) as well as other officials over their failure to thwart the Shangla terror attack, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference at the PML-N’s Model Town headquarters, Tarar said the action was being taken on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the light of the inquiry committee report. The prime minister was himself looking into the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan at different development projects, he said.

According to Tarar, other officials against whom the charge of failure to perform their duties had been proven in the inquiry report included district police officers (DPOs) of Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan, Dasu Hydropower Project director security and the chief of Special Security Unit. The abovementioned officials showed negligence and such practices won’t be tolerated in future, the information minister made it clear and added that the government was fully focused on dealing with the efforts to create law and order situation in the country. Five Chinese nationals were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in was attacked near Bisham a town located in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – last month.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan