Three cops, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeting a police vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday.
The spokesperson for district police, Yaqoob Zulqarnain said, told media that an IED was used in the blast that took place in Paniyala area, which is in the jurisdiction of the Shaheed Nawab Khan police station.
ASI Gul Alam, Constable Rafiq and the driver of the mobile van, Sakhi Jan, lost their lives in the incident, the police spokesperson said, adding that another constable accompanying them, Azad Shah, remained unhurt.
He said the site of the incident had been cordoned off and a search operation had been launched.
“Police are searching for the attackers, and the matter is being investigated from all angles,” he said.
The Paniyala deputy superintendent of police and station house officer, as well as the district police official (DPO), also reached the site of the blast after the incident, according to the police spokesperson.
Separately, a statement issued by the office of DI Khan DPO Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada said that the attack was carried out by “unidentified terrorists”.
The statement said the DPO also spoke to the media, saying: “The terrorists have carried out a cowardly attack. Such acts cannot dampen the morale of the police.”
Condemnations
State-run APP reported that KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the blast and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of three policemen in the attack.
The statement issued by the CM’s Office and carried by APP quoted Afridi as saying that the three martyred cops had “laid down their lives for the nation”.
According to the statement, the CM highlighted that police had been “bravely fighting terrorism on the front line” despite limited resources.
He termed today’s attack a “cowardly act” and said that such incidents could not weaken the resolve of the nation.
The statement said CM Afridi assured that the provincial government “stands firmly with its brave police force and salutes their great sacrifices”.
“He vowed that the martyrs’ sacrifices would not go in vain and that the terrorists involved would be brought to justice.”
It further quoted the CM as saying that the “fight against terrorism will continue with even greater determination and full force”.
He prayed for the martyred policemen and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families, assuring that the KP government would provide them all possible support.
A statement issued by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi’s office said he strongly condemned the attack and termed it a “cowardly and brutal act”.
The statement said Governor Kundi expressed grief over the martyrdom of three policemen in the incident, paid tribute to them and termed them “heroes of the nation”.
He extended condolences to their families and expressed solidarity with them, the statement added.
It further quoted the governor as saying: “Their (the martyrs) sacrifices will always be remembered.
“The sacrifices of police and security forces will not go in vain, and the struggle for peace in the province will continue at all costs. Such cowardly attacks cannot weaken the strong and unshakeable resolve of the nation against terrorism. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s people and institutions are united for the elimination of the menace of terrorism,” he said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also strongly denounced the attack, APP reported.
“The bravery and sacrifice of the valiant sons of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police are commendable,” he was quoted as saying. Naqvi said the “sacrifices of the martyrs will always be remembered”.
“We hold the sacrifices of KP Police in the highest regard,” he added.
There have been several incidents of attacks on law enforcers in recent months in KP, as Pakistan continues to grapple with the issue of terrorism.
The country has witnessed a surge in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to attack security forces, police, and law enforcement agencies’ personnel.
Today’s attack on police comes around two weeks after the targeting of a police mobile with a bomb in DI Khan on November 20. Two cops were martyred and four were injured in the incident.
In October, terrorists also attacked the Police Training School in DI Khan. Six policemen, including trainees, were martyred and 13 others — 12 policemen and a civilian — were injured in the terrorist attack. The military’s media wing said five terrorists were killed in the retaliatory operation by security forces.
A police checkpoint had also come under attack from multiple sides by terrorists late on the night of October 8. One cop was martyred in the incident.
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