A devastating Hangu twin blasts on Friday claimed the lives of three brave policemen, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Operations Asad Zubair, leaving several others injured, officials confirmed.

According to District Police Officer Khanzeb Mohmand, the explosion struck near the vehicle of SP Operations while he was en route to the Ghulmina area of Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The wounded officers were immediately rushed to DHQ Hospital Hangu for medical treatment.

Police sources said it was the second explosion reported in the district that day. The first blast occurred near a police checkpoint in Ghulmina, where explosives planted by unknown militants destroyed a nearby room. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the initial incident.

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Tragically, when SP Asad Zubair and his team were heading to inspect the site of the first explosion, their vehicle was targeted in another powerful detonation at Darband, resulting in the Hangu twin blasts turning deadly. The sound of the explosion echoed across the area, spreading fear and panic among residents.

Security forces swiftly cordoned off the site and launched a search operation to trace the perpetrators behind the attack. Rescue teams shifted the bodies of the martyred officers and the injured to the hospital, while an investigation is underway to determine the nature and motive of the blasts.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack on the police vehicle in Hangu and paid tribute to SP Operations Asad Zubair and two police personnel who embraced martyrdom.

He expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families. He said the sacrifice of SP Asad Zubair and the two policemen would not go in vain, adding that SP Zubair and the personnel had attained the highest rank of martyrdom.