HANGU; Three police officials, including Superintendent of Police (Operations) Asad Zubair, were martyred on Friday when two consecutive blasts targeted police personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district, according to police authorities.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) KP, Zulfiqar Hameed, told Dawn.com that the first explosion occurred near a police checkpost under the jurisdiction of the Baliamina Police Station. The checkpost was reportedly empty at the time, but as police officers moved toward the site, a second, more powerful explosion targeted their vehicle.
The IGP confirmed that the second blast, caused by an improvised explosive device (IED), resulted in the martyrdom of three policemen.
Regional Police Officer (RPO) Kohat Division Abbas Majeed stated that security in Hangu and surrounding districts had been on high alert. A search operation had been underway since the morning, and police had cordoned off the area around the checkpost.
According to RPO Majeed, the first IED went off at around 2 p.m., causing no injuries as the post was unoccupied. However, as SP Asad Zubair and his team arrived at the scene, a second, stronger IED — planted by the banned outfit Fitna-al-Khawarij (a term used for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) — exploded near their vehicle. Two policemen were martyred instantly, while SP Zubair later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Following the incident, a large contingent of police launched a search operation in the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has sought a detailed report from the IGP and convened a session of the apex committee to review the province’s security situation. Condemning the “cowardly attack,” CM Afridi said those responsible would be “brought to justice at all costs” and vowed that such acts could not “demoralize the police and counter-terrorism forces.”
President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the blasts, describing them as an attack by “India-backed Fitna-al-Hindustan terrorists,” adding that such cowardly acts cannot weaken Pakistan’s resolve for peace. He paid tribute to the martyred officers, calling them “heroes of the nation’s stability.”
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed deep sorrow over the loss, saying the sacrifices of SP Asad Zubair and his colleagues “will not go in vain.” He reaffirmed the government’s support for the KP Police and their ongoing fight against terrorism.
Former KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also offered condolences, noting that “the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to sacrifice their lives for national peace.”
The incident comes amid a surge in militant attacks in KP and Balochistan since the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in late 2022. Recent weeks have seen several attempts by terrorists to target police installations in Bannu, South Waziristan, and other regions, all of which were foiled by security forces.
