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Ashrafuddin Pirzada
DISTRICT KHYBER: Residents and peace lovers are urging the government to announce a national award for the brave man Muhammad Arshad, who not only scuffled with suicide bomber but he also snatched a Kalashnikov rifle from the attacker, saving dozens of civilians and officials’ lives in the official compound in Bara Tehsil on July 20 this week.
Muhammad Arshad, a resident of Bara, is running a photostat shop right at the front of the Bara tehsil office injured in the twin suicide attacks on the Bara tehsil office on July 20.
Residents and officials named Arshad as the iron man who courageously stopped the suicide bomber at the cost of his life.
Bara-based journalist Muhammad Shafiq Afridi told this scribe that Muhammad Arshad is a social worker and runs a photostat shop to feed his poor family.
Muhammad Arshad was at Bara tehsil office to process documents from officials when two suicide bombers in the police uniform attacked the Bara tehsil compound where several government offices including CTD, assistant commissioner, tehsildar and Station House Officer offices existed.
Talking to this correspondent at Hayatabad Medical Complex the iron man Muhammad Arshad said that he was in Bara tehsil offices at 11:20 am for his personal work when the attack carried out. He said as the bombers entered the main gate killing the police guard outside the gate he faced one of the suicide bombers right inside the main gate and scuffled with him.
Muhammad Arshad, who could be seen in the CCTV camera footage, said that he scuffled for a while with the bomber and snatch the Kalashnikov rifle from him. Adding that he told the suicide bomber during the scuffle that why they are killing innocent people and it is not a good job. He said the bomber shook his head negatively and denied not to kill people in the office.
“As the bomber started firing I jumped over him and took his rifle with both my hands strongly, the bomber tried to hit me with a bullet but I tightly took the gun in my hands. He fired several bullets injuring my feet and hand but I did not let him go inside the offices to blow himself up”, Arshad expressed his bravery moments. He said meanwhile police also started firing to kill the attackers.
Arshad said one of the attackers wanted to enter the political muharer’s office next to the main gate. He said as he snatched Kalashnikov from the bomber and ran away from the attacker and sheltered in a room. He said he went a few yards away from the bomber he dropped the gun to avoid being shot by police considering him a militant.
He said it would have had human losses on a large scale if he let the suicide bomber enter the political Muharer office. He said dozens of citizens and unarmed officials were in the Muharer’s office at the time of the attack.
“As I snatched Kalashnikov from the bomber he failed to go further to his target and he blew himself up after a few seconds I ran away from him”, Arshad said. This scene is also captured by CCTV. he said.
Arshad said it was a pride moment for him to embrace martyrdom but Allah saved him which is a gift of new life for him. He said Allah gave him courage at that time and took the gun from the well-equipped and trained bomber.
He said the bomber was in haste and could pull the trigger of the explosives vest but I kept him with both hands in the corridor so that he could not go inside the offices. He said the bomber insisted to let him go but I repeatedly asked him not to kill innocent people. He said they exchanged a few words and scuffled with each other for several seconds and successfully snatched the gun from the bomber.
The Bara police, who were on high alert as secret agencies had shared the prior information of the militants’ attack, also repulsed and timely targeted the suicide movers.
Three policemen were martyred while nine others including two civilians and seven police personnel got injured in the twin suicide attacks in the Bara Tehsil attack a few days ago.
According to eyewitnesses more than hundred civilians and officials were present at the time of the attack in the official compound.
Arshad said it was a pride moment for him when he saved dozens of innocent lives. He said what he did was his moral duty as a citizen of Pakistan.
He said it was not the first time he saw his death very near but since 2009 he faced a number of times such kinds of military-related incidents where he luckily survived.
Muhammad Arshad said he was committed and would not hesitate to do more for his country and innocent people.
“We stand side by side with our police, security forces and citizens of Pakistan for our motherland and its people”, Arshad said. He added that they want a peaceful life to earn a livelihood for their families. He said after a long time they had a peaceful life after Bara was reopened for social and business activities. He said unfortunately their lives were again put in danger. Arshad sustained bullet injuries on his hand and feet.
Local elders, journalists and civil society members appealed to the government to provide the best possible medical facilities and earned Muhammad Arshad national award to the iron man Muhammad Arshad.
