PESHAWAR: A police constable was martyred and four others were injured in an attack on a law enforcement party en route to provide security for polio teams in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.
The incident took place in Hangu’s Thall tehsil on the first day of a nationwide vaccination campaign taking place from April 13 to 19. The attack is this year’s first on law enforcement personnel deployed for polio teams’ security.
In a statement, the Hangu District Police said “terrorists opened sudden fire on a police party,” resulting in the martyrdom of a policeman and injuries to four others.
The injured police personnel were immediately taken to a hospital.
The police team retaliated immediately, with “reports of two terrorists’ deaths as a result”, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Kohat Irfan Tariq was quoted as saying. However, terrorists took their accomplices’ bodies from the scene.
He commended the personnel’s bravery in “thwarting the terrorists’ attack”. He asserted that the assailants would not be forgiven under any circumstances.
Following the incident, a search operation was launched in the area, with security forces busy tracing the terrorists.
“On the other hand, officials said the ongoing polio campaign in Hangu will continue as usual, and the terrorists cannot demoralise the nation,” Hangu Police said.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack and sought a report from the provincial police chief.
In a statement issued by his office, CM Afridi said “targeting personnel on national duty is an extremely cowardly act”. He asserted that the terrorists would never succeed in their nefarious aims.
Expressing grief over the deaths of the police constable, the KP CM affirmed the provincial government would provide every possible co-operation to the bereaved family.
The chief minister directed that the injured cops be provided with the best available facilities. He asserted that the KP government and the public were on the same page in the war against terrorism.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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