Police foil militant raid near Sharif home

Nawaz Sharif

Islamabad, July 17 (AP): Officials say police fought for more than 10 hours with militants planning to attack the Prime Minister’s home in eastern Pakistan.

Government official Shuja Khanzada said today a police officer and a militant were killed in an overnight operation against insurgents planning the attack.

Another militant was hospitalised after the gunbattle at a house near the home of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore. Sharif was not in residence.

Provincial law minister Rana Mashhood said authorities had intelligence about the plot and carried out the raid.

He said a large amounts of weaponry, explosives and suicide vests were seized. He did not say how many militants were involved. Khanzada said the plot was in reprisal for a military offensive against insurgent safe havens in North Waziristan.