Three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were martyred on Wednesday when militants targeted a police vehicle in the Panyala area of Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan), according to officials.
The tragic incident has once again brought the spotlight back on the DI Khan terror attack situation and the growing threat of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Police said the attackers had planted an improvised explosive device (IED) along the roadside. As the police mobile approached, the device exploded, followed by intense gunfire from the militants. Security teams immediately cordoned off the area, and a search operation was launched to track down the perpetrators.
The assault comes just a day after another deadly strike in Bannu, where at least four people—including two policemen and North Waziristan Assistant Commissioner Shah Waliullah—were martyred by unidentified assailants. The back-to-back incidents have raised serious concerns about worsening security conditions in the region.
Read More: Deadly attack on North Waziristan AC convoy in Bannu kills four
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and KP Governor Faisal Kundi strongly condemned the DI Khan terror attack, calling it an attack on national security. In his statement, the prime minister expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and prayed for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks. He directed authorities to ensure the injured officers receive the best medical treatment and ordered strict action to bring those responsible to justice.
PM Shehbaz also paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, acknowledging their frontline role in the fight against terrorism. He reaffirmed the government’s determination to eliminate militancy “at any cost.”
Terror incidents have seen a troubling rise in Pakistan, particularly in KP and Balochistan, since 2021—following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power. A recent police report revealed that KP recorded more than 600 terror attacks in the first eight months of 2025 alone, claiming the lives of at least 79 police personnel and 138 civilians.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban government to prevent its soil from being used for cross-border attacks.
