LAKKI MARWAT (MNN); Five police personnel were martyred after their police mobile was attacked in the Gurguri area of Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday. Following the attack, security forces launched a search and clearance operation in which eight terrorists were killed.
District police spokesperson Shaukat Khan confirmed that all the martyred officers were constables. The fallen personnel were identified as Shahid Iqbal, Samiullah, Arif, Safdar and Muhammad Abrar, who was also driving the police vehicle.
On the directives of the Kohat Regional Police Office and the Karak district police officer, a joint operation was carried out by Karak Police and the Counter-Terrorism Department. According to the spokesperson, the terrorists were chased through difficult and mountainous terrain and neutralised during the operation. Their bodies were shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examination, while efforts are underway to establish their identities.
Although the exact nature of the attack is still under investigation, images released by police showed the badly damaged and burnt remains of the police vehicle.
Meanwhile, funeral prayers for the five martyrs were offered with full official honours. A police contingent presented a salute, while flowers were placed on the bodies wrapped in the national flag. The funeral was attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed and other senior civil and police officials.
Senior officials met the families of the martyrs, expressed condolences and assured them of full government support, including welfare benefits. The inspector general stated that the sacrifices of the martyred policemen in the line of duty would never be forgotten and reaffirmed the police force’s commitment to continue the fight against terrorism with resolve and professionalism.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the police had always stood at the forefront in the battle against terrorism and that the government would continue to provide modern equipment and full backing to the force. He stressed that elements threatening peace would not be spared.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. Paying tribute to the police, he said their sacrifices for peace and security were unparalleled and reiterated the government’s determination to completely eradicate terrorism from the country.
Separately, district police spokesperson Asif Hassan said an assistant sub-inspector, Rehmatullah, and a passerby were injured during an exchange of fire between police and wanted suspects in Lakki Marwat’s Tajori area.
The attack is part of a continuing series of incidents targeting police personnel in the province. In recent weeks, several officers have been martyred in separate attacks in Lakki Marwat and Hangu.
LAKKI MARWAT (MNN); Five police constables were martyred on Tuesday when a police mobile was attacked in the Gurguri area of Karak district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
District police spokesperson Shaukat Khan confirmed the incident, stating that all those martyred were constables. The fallen officers were identified as Shahid Iqbal, Samiullah, Arif, Safdar and Muhammad Abrar, who was also driving the police vehicle.
He said a heavy police contingent, including the district police officer, reached the scene soon after the attack and a search operation was launched in the area.
Although the exact nature of the attack is yet to be officially confirmed, an image shared by the police showed the badly damaged and charred remains of the police mobile.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, expressing deep sorrow and grief over the loss of lives. In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, he offered prayers for the martyred officers and extended condolences to their families, assuring them of the government’s full support.
The prime minister paid tribute to the sacrifices of the police force, saying police personnel have always stood on the front line in the fight against terrorism and rendered invaluable services for peace and security.
“The entire nation salutes these martyrs who laid down their lives in the line of duty,” he said, adding that their sacrifices would never be forgotten.
Reaffirming the government’s stance, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan remains fully determined to eliminate terrorism in all its forms.
In a separate incident, district police spokesperson Asif Hassan told Dawn that an assistant sub-inspector, Rehmatullah, and a passerby were injured during an exchange of fire between police and wanted suspects in the Tajori area of Lakki Marwat.
Tuesday’s attack is the latest in a series of assaults targeting police personnel in the province. Last week, a police official and his brother were martyred in a gun attack in Lakki Marwat. Earlier this month, a policeman was martyred and five others injured in a suicide blast targeting a police mobile in the same district, while in November, three policemen were martyred during a terrorist attack on a checkpost in Hangu.
