Hundreds of heavily armed Taliban militants from Afghanistan have attacked a key police station in Pakistan’s troubled northwestern tribal belt. More than 200 militants targeted the Shaltalu checkpoint in a remote part of Upper Dir district on Wednesday.
Seven policemen have been killed and dozens more were wounded during the intense fighting.
Despite an offensive by the Pakistani government against pro-Taliban militants, they have spread their influence in various regions, killing people and security forces on an almost daily basis.
The time is right for an operation in the tribal belt so that the militants know that we are not afraid of them. The police force has suffered a lot and is being targeted again and again. The police force needs training and should be well equipped to defeat these militants who are constantly trying to destabilise the country.
KHURRAM SALEEM
Islamabad
