According to police, three policemen, including a superintendent of police (SP), were martyred when back-to-back blasts rocked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu on Friday.
KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed shared these details with dawn.comThe first explosion targeted a police checkpoint in the jurisdiction of the Bilyamina police station.
He said there were normally no police deployed at the checkpoint, adding that some police officers were heading to the spot when a second explosion occurred near their vehicle.
Three police officers were killed in the second explosion, caused by an improvised explosive device, the IG said.
Kohat Division Regional Police Officer (RPO) Abbas Majeed shared more details of the incident while speaking to the media in Hangu.
He said police security was on high alert in Hangu as well as other districts of Kohat today.
Police carried out a search and raid operation in the area and also cordoned off a place at a distance of about 100 meters from the attacked checkpoint since 10am, the RPO said. He added that the old checkpoint was used by law enforcement to rest during breaks when they cordoned off a nearby location.
“There was no one at the checkpoint at the time of the incident,” he said, adding that an improvised explosive device explosion occurred at the checkpoint at 2 p.m. “However, since there were no police there, there were no victims.”
The RPO said SP (Operations) Asad Zubair, along with a group of police officers, had headed to the check post after the first explosion. “As their vehicle approached the spot, an improvised explosive device explosion occurred near the checkpoint. Fitna-al-Khawarij “He had placed an improvised explosive device there that was more powerful than the one used in the first explosion.”
Fitna-al-Khawarij is the state-designated term for the banned terrorist group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
RPO Majeed said the second explosion was “big”, killing two police officers on the spot. Meanwhile, SP Zubair was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, he added.
The official said a large police party was carrying out a search operation at the incident site.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sought an immediate report from the IG after the incident and called a session of the higher committee on the law and order situation in the province, according to a statement from the CM’s office.
He added that the CM had “strongly condemned” the incident and termed it “unfortunate”.
The statement further quoted him as saying that the “elements involved [in the incident] He would be reprimanded at all costs. Cowardly attacks cannot demoralize the CTD (anti-terrorism department) and the police.”
He added that the sacrifices of the martyred police personnel, who also included a police superintendent, “will not be in vain” and that “all resources will be utilized to establish peace.”
CM Afridi also prayed for the martyred staff and their families, the statement said.
Convictions
President Asif Ali Zardari “strongly condemned” the “attack in Hangu carried out by Indian-backed groups.” Fitna-al-Hindustan terrorists,” said a statement on the PPP’s X account.
Fitna al-Hindustan is a term used by the state to frame India’s alleged role in terrorism as a deliberate destabilization strategy, potentially to galvanize domestic support.
The statement on the PPP account quoted President Zardari as saying: “Terrorists are enemies of the peace and stability of the country. Their cowardly acts are unacceptable.”
He paid tribute to the police officers martyred in today’s blasts and said the nation was “proud of the sacrifices of its brave soldiers”.
The president praised the determination and courage of the police in the fight against terrorism and prayed for the martyred police officers as well as their families, the statement said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said police had always played a frontline role in the war against terrorism. “We are determined to completely eradicate terrorism from the country,” he said.
Earlier, Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi also “strongly condemned” the blasts, according to a statement posted on his ministry’s X account, adding that he paid tribute to the martyred police officers, including SP Zubair.
He also expressed his condolences to the families of the martyred police officers.
“The sacrifice of martyr SP Asad Zubair and two other police officers will not go in vain. The sacrifices of the officers and staff of KP Police cannot be forgotten,” the statement quoted.
Former KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also expressed grief over the martyrdom of the policemen in the incident.
“Saddened to learn of the martyrdom of SP (Operations) Asad Zubair and two [other] police officers during an improvised explosive device attack in Hangu. The KP police, security forces and the brave people of KP have been paying the price for our peace with their blood,” he posted on X.
Increase in terrorist incidents
Pakistan has witnessed a spike in terrorist activities, mainly in KP and Balochistan since the TTP broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in November 2022. By ending the ceasefire agreement, the TTP had promised to intensify attacks on security forces, police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies.
Today’s blasts come five days after law enforcement agencies foiled an attack by terrorists on a police station in KP’s Bannu district on October 19. According to the police, the failed attack was carried out by the TTP and targeted Baka Khel police station and three terrorists were killed when the police opened fire on them.
Earlier, on October 18, unknown assailants had launched a rocket and gun attack on the Azam Warsak police station in South Waziristan. According to police, the attackers attacked the police station from multiple directions, but police and Frontier Corps personnel responded quickly, forcing the attackers to flee. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Before that, on the night of October 17, police had intercepted an explosive-laden rickshaw in Bannu district, killing three terrorists and foiling a possible suicide attack on a police post in Mazanga in the jurisdiction of Havaid police station.
