PESHAWAR – Peshawar-based United States Consul General Lynne M Tracy survived an attempt on life here on Tuesday morning. "Two persons boarding Land Cruiser opened fire on the bullet-proof vehicle of the top American diplomat at Rehman Baba Road, University Town, Peshawar," remarked SHO Arshad Khan.
He added that the US Consul General was accompanied by driver and bodyguard and the incident occurred around 120 metres away from her residence situated beside People's House, the residence of former interior minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao. This was the first-ever attack of its kind against any high-ranking US official in Peshawar. The diplomat's driver quickly threw the car into reverse, hitting an auto-rickshaw. The auto-rickshaw was damaged during the incident and its driver got injured.
The police said it had found eight cartridges of AK-47, commonly known as Kalashnikov from the site. So far no arrest had been made, however efforts are under way for netting the culprits involved in the attack.
"There was a security incident in Peshawar this morning involving a US Consulate vehicle and three employees. There were no injuries and minimal damages to the vehicles. We are conducting with Pakistani authorities, investigating the incident," states a communique issued by the US Consulate soon after the incident.
Meanwhile, the NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti has expressed concern over the firing incident and extended sympathies to Ms Lynne Tracy. He also directed the police high-ups to conduct inquiry into the incident.
Courtesy The Nation