As many as seven people were killed after scores of militants attacked WAPDA grid station in Sheikh Muhammadi area in outskirts of Peshawar late on Tuesday.
Four employees of Peshawar Electricity Company (PESCO) are still missing. Among those killed were four employees of PESCO and three police officials. WAPDA employees went on a strike.
The officials said scores of terrorists attacked the Grid station. First, they fired rockets and later entered the control room and other portions of the complex. They said that 13 explosions occurred inside the grid station.
PESCO Public Relations Director Shaukat Afzal said that the militants had blown up 500KV transformers and also set on fire the control room. He said the militants had shot dead two people for putting up resistance and abducted nine others.
The official said five bodies have been recovered from nearby fields. As a result of attacks, electricity supply to Peshawar was disconnected. However, Afzal said that supply to some areas has been restored through alternate transmission lines.
Meanwhile, on the call of Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Electric Union, the employees of PESCO went on a strike. The protesters shouted slogans against the government, security forces and militants. They urged the government to take steps for early recovery of missing employees.
In past, militants have time and again attacked this electricity grid station, but they had failed in destroying it. Sheikh Muhammadi area is adjacent to Khyber Agency.