Three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were martyred on Wednesday when militants targeted a police vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Paniyala area of Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attack occurred near the Shaheed Nawab Khan police station jurisdiction, police said.
According to district police spokesperson Yaqoob Zulqarnain, the IED detonated as the police vehicle approached, killing ASI Gul Alam, Constable Rafiq, and the driver, Sakhi Jan. Another constable, Azad Shah, survived unharmed. “The site has been cordoned off, and a search operation is underway to apprehend the attackers,” Zulqarnain added.
DI Khan District Police Officer (DPO) Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada described the incident as a “cowardly attack” carried out by unidentified terrorists. He emphasised that such acts would not dampen the morale of law enforcement personnel.
High-ranking officials, including KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, condemned the attack. CM Afridi expressed grief over the martyrs’ deaths, stating that their sacrifices for the nation would not go in vain and assuring full support for the families of the deceased. Governor Kundi also paid tribute to the slain officers, calling them “heroes of the nation” and reaffirming the province’s commitment to combating terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi echoed the condemnation. The premier directed authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care and that those responsible are identified and brought to justice. He praised the KP police for their continued sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.
The attack follows a surge in militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, particularly since the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire in November 2022. KP alone has recorded over 600 terror incidents in the first eight months of 2025, claiming the lives of at least 79 police personnel and 138 civilians.