PESHAWAR: Three police personnel including an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), were martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeting a police vehicle in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday.
The spokesperson for district police, Yaqoob Zulqarnain said 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.
The Paniyala Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Station House Officer (SHO), as well as the District Police Officer (DPO), also rushed 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.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the blast and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of three policemen in the attack.
According to the statement issued by CM’s Office three martyred cops had laid down their lives for the nation. The CM has highlighted that police had been “bravely fighting terrorism on the front line” despite limited resources.
He termed the 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.”
He said that 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.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has also strongly condemned the attack and termed it a “cowardly and brutal act.”
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.
“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 concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025