Another Brigadier targeted in Capital

ISLAMABAD Another senior army officer and his driver sustained bullet injuries when two unknown assailants sprayed bullets at his vehicle in Sector 1-8/4 here on Friday.
It was the third attack on senior army officers during the last two weeks and every time the assailants managed to escape while riding bikes.
According to details, two miscreants opened indiscriminate fire at the vehicle of Brigadier Sohail, who is currently working for the official intelligence agency of Pakistan Army.
Eyewitnesses said that the incident occurred at 8:40 am when Brigadier Sohail along with his driver was on way to his office in Prado.
They said that when Brigadier Sohail reached near Street No 82 of the sector, one of the miscreants, who were already present at a nearby bus stop, opened indiscriminate fire at the vehicle.
Police sources while quoting the eyewitness said that one attacker opened fire at the front part of the vehicle while another remained aboard his bike about 50 feet away from the crime scene.
Another eyewitness requesting not to be named said that the attacker carrying a bag was aged between 22 to 24 years cladding in black trousers and white shirt while his accomplice, in his early 30s, was wearing black Shalwar Kameez.
After their operation, the attackers fled from the scene towards 1/9 on their bike.
Within five minutes, officials of law enforcement agencies reached the scene and cordoned off the area for collection of evidence, while the injured were shifted to hospital. One 30 Bore Pistol was also recovered from the crime scene, the eyewitness said.
Dr Waseem Khawaja, spokesman for PIMS Hospital, said that Brigadier Sohail received two bullets - one in abdomen and another in elbow. He further said that his driver Lance Naik Ramzan also got two bullets.
However, the spokesman said that both the injured were in stable condition.
He further said that Brigadier Sohail was shifted to Navel Headquarters hospital (PNS Hafeez), while his driver was shifted to CMH Rawalpindi.
Talking to TheNation, Abdul Ghaffar Qasirani, SP I/9 area, said that over 12 empties including bullets of MM and 30-Bore Pistol were recovered from the scene.
He said that apparently it seemed that all the three attacks at army officers during the last two weeks are of same nature as the attackers executed them in the same manners. However, he said that further investigation is under way in this regard.
It is relevant to note that it was the third incident in last fifteen days. The first incident had occurred on October 22 at a time when two bike riders opened fired at Brigadier Moeens vehicle killing him and his drive on the spot. In the second incident, another Brigadier namely Waqar Ahmed was attacked by unknown miscreants on October 27, however, Brig Waqar and his family members remained unhurt.
It is pertinent to mention here that despite the ban on pillion riding in the city every time miscreants managed to escape.
It is high time for the law enforcement agencies to trace out that who is informing the terrorists about the movements of army officers of high portfolios.
Taking serious notice of the rising attacks at army officials, Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik has directed the concerned SHO to arrest the culprits within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the security of the federal capital has been tightened and a massive search operation has been conducted in different localities including Ittifaq Colony, Meharabadia, Sabzi Mandi and Faizabad and rounded up more than 50 suspects.