Miranshah Deputy Commissioner Shah Wali and two policemen are among the four martyrs after the official’s vehicle was attacked in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday.
Bannu Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sajjad Khan confirmed the death toll.
“The attack was sudden, and after opening fire on the vehicle, the assailants also set it on fire,” he said. The DIG said the area was cordoned off after the incident and a search was on to locate the attackers.
“Security forces and police are carrying out a joint operation. Security in the area is on high alert and investigations are being carried out from all angles,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bilal Saqib, deputy commissioner’s secretary, told the media that the incident took place around 10 am. He said the deputy commissioner was on his way to appear in court when he was “ambushed” near Mamash Khel’s Masoomabad.
Giving details about the deaths, he said that two officers and a civilian, who worked in the field, were martyred, while two police officers were injured. He said an investigation into the incident was underway.
Miranshah is the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan district and is adjacent to Bannu.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the lives lost in the incident. A statement shared by the PPP about X said it condemned the terrorist attack.
He further said that the elimination of terrorists operating with external support against the country is being carried out with national consensus.
He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured police personnel and directed relevant agencies to ensure immediate arrest of the attackers.
The development comes a day after two policemen embraced martyrdom and five others were injured in a suicide bomb attack and gun attack in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.
Pakistan has seen a raise in terrorist attacks in the recent past, particularly in KP and Balochistan, since the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) term its ceasefire with the government in 2022. With the end of the ceasefire, the TTP had promised to attack security forces, police and law enforcement personnel.
