ISLAMABAD (Web-Desk); The district administration of Bajaur on Tuesday imposed a three-day curfew in 16 localities of the Loe Mamund Tehsil and launched a targeted operation against suspected militants in the region.
According to an official notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan, the curfew aims to ensure public safety during ongoing security operations.
The restrictions—recommended by the District Intelligence Coordination Committee—are in place in Badi Siah, Tarkho, Irab, Gat, Agra, Khurchai, Dawagai, Kalan, Legharai, Kitkot, Gillai, Nakhtar, Zarai, Dambarai, Amanata, and Zagai.
The notification states that all movement of people, vehicles, and any form of traffic is strictly prohibited from 5:00 am Tuesday until 5:00 pm on Thursday, July 31, under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Residents are instructed to stay indoors and avoid traveling outside their homes. Violators will face legal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The curfew follows a recent terrorist attack on the Thangi checkpost in Salarzai tehsil on Sunday night. According to officials, militants opened fire on a joint police and Frontier Corps (FC) post around 9:42 pm. Security personnel responded swiftly, and no casualties were reported. No group has claimed responsibility for the assault.
In response to the threat, local police launched a district-wide search operation on Monday, setting up roadblocks and checking vehicles and individuals at key entry and exit points.
However, the operation has drawn criticism from political circles. Awami National Party (ANP) President Aimal Wali Khan alleged that innocent civilians had been injured during the security sweep and demanded an immediate end to the violence. Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) declared its opposition to the operation, stating it could not support such actions.
The situation in Bajaur has remained tense in recent weeks. On July 10, ANP politician Maulana Khan Zeb and a police officer were shot dead by unidentified assailants.
Earlier, on July 2, a roadside bomb targeted an official vehicle in the Sadiqabad area, killing five, including an assistant commissioner and a tehsildar. Seventeen others, including several police personnel, were injured in the blast.
Authorities have said the curfew and ongoing operations are essential to restoring order and preventing further militant activity in the region.
