Highway Ambush: prisoner transport clash in Islamabad

In a dramatic attack on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, armed assailants attacked prisoner transport vans on Friday, wounding four police officers. The attack took place at the Sangjani Toll Plaza, where three vans carrying 82 prisoners were ambushed.

The incident took place when the prisoners, who were earlier involved in a protest led by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were shifted to Attock jail. About twenty attackers in four vehicles attacked the convoy. Four perpetrators were arrested, while others reportedly fled.

This ambush has created a storm of accusations between the government and PTI. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused PTI of orchestrating the attack, while PTI leader Sheikh Waqqas Akram alleged police involvement. The neighborhood remains tense as the investigation continues.

(With input from agencies.)