PESHAWAR: Two officials were martyred and two others wounded when militants launched a coordinated attack on Yarik police station and a nearby customs office in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday, authorities said.
According to police, armed assailants opened fire with automatic weapons at the police station and the customs facility situated along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route. During the assault, a customs vehicle was set on fire and passenger buses travelling on the highway came under fire, triggering panic in the area.
Those martyred were identified as customs official Israr Khan and police constable Mohammad Bilal. Two others — Hazrat Umar and Khayal Mohammad — sustained injuries and were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital’s trauma centre for treatment.
Security forces responded swiftly, returning fire and forcing the attackers to flee. A heavy police contingent was deployed to the scene, and a search operation was launched in surrounding areas to track down the perpetrators.
Authorities said investigations were under way and efforts were ongoing to apprehend those responsible.
The district has witnessed a series of militant incidents in recent weeks. Earlier this month, four policemen, including a station house officer, were martyred in an attack on a police party in the Paniala area. On January 24, five people — among them a local peace committee leader — were killed and 10 others injured in a suspected suicide blast at a wedding ceremony in the district.