PESHAWAR: Militants reportedly applied tactics inspired by the video game PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) to carry out an attack on the Banr police station in Swat on August 28, senior officials revealed. The assault left one policeman dead and two others injured.
According to officials, the militants used PUBG’s chat room for communication, avoiding traditional methods to escape electronic surveillance. The district police officer of Swat, Dr. Zahidullah, explained that the attackers practiced and communicated via the game to evade detection.
During the investigation, police initially suspected a motorbike passing by the station moments before the explosion. However, it was later revealed that an improvised explosive device, disguised as a power bank typically used for charging phones, was employed in the attack.
Dr. Zahidullah stated that one of the attackers was traced through extensive CCTV footage, leading to the arrest of additional suspects. These militants, affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), used PUBG’s chat room for coordination and frequently changed their mobile devices and SIM cards to avoid tracking.
The militants were part of the local Murad alias Rehmatullah group, whose members are believed to be based in Afghanistan. Dr. Zahidullah noted that around 2,000 families from Swat, linked to militant groups, are currently residing in Afghanistan following military operations in the region.
