D I KHAN (MNN); Three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were martyred on Wednesday when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck a police vehicle in the Paniyala area of Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
District police spokesperson Yaqoob Zulqarnain told Dawn that the blast occurred within the limits of the Shaheed Nawab Khan police station. ASI Gul Alam, Constable Rafiq, and driver Sakhi Jan lost their lives, while another accompanying constable, Azad Shah, remained unharmed.
Police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Zulqarnain said investigators were examining all possible angles and actively searching for the attackers.
Senior police officers, including the DSP Paniyala, the SHO, and the district police officer (DPO), reached the blast site shortly after the incident. A separate statement from the office of DI Khan DPO Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada confirmed that unidentified terrorists were behind the attack. Speaking to the media, the DPO said such cowardly acts could not weaken the morale of the police.
REACTIONS AND CONDEMNATIONS
According to APP, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the blast and expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of the three policemen. He said the officers had sacrificed their lives for the nation and noted that despite limited resources, police forces continued to fight terrorism on the front lines.
Afridi described the attack as a cowardly act, reaffirming that such incidents could not break the resolve of the nation. He assured full support from the provincial government for the families of the martyrs and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the incident, calling it a brutal and cowardly attack. He paid tribute to the martyred policemen, calling them heroes of the nation, and affirmed that their sacrifices would never be forgotten. He emphasised that the people and institutions of KP remained united in their fight against terrorism.
Radio Pakistan reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the blast, expressing deep grief over the loss of lives. The PM prayed for the martyrs, extended condolences to their families, and directed authorities to ensure the attackers are identified and punished. He also praised the sacrifices of KP Police in the fight against terrorism.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack as well, calling the bravery and sacrifice of KP Police commendable and unforgettable.
RECENT ATTACKS
The incident is part of a series of terrorist attacks in KP as Pakistan continues to face rising militancy, particularly after the outlawed TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in late 2022. Two weeks earlier, a bombing targeting a police mobile in DI Khan claimed the lives of two policemen and injured four more. In October, terrorists attacked the Police Training School in DI Khan, martyring six policemen and injuring 13 others. Another police checkpoint was ambushed on October 8, resulting in the martyrdom of one cop.
