PESHAWAR — Seven policemen, including a station house officer (SHO), were martyred Friday when their vehicle was targeted in a terrorist attack in the Bettani subdivision of Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the district police spokesperson, Qudratullah, the Shadikhel police squad was on routine patrol when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted along the Shahdikhel-Mastikhel road detonated. Six officers initially died, and an injured cop later succumbed to his wounds, bringing the total fatalities to seven.
A large police contingent reached the area to search for the perpetrators. The bodies of the martyred and injured officers were taken to the hospital for identification and treatment.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack in a statement, praying for the martyrs and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. He reaffirmed the state’s unwavering resolve to eliminate terrorism.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a notable rise in terrorist attacks. The Annual Security Report 2025 by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) recorded 2,331 fatalities in KP, up from 1,620 in 2024 — a 44% year-on-year increase, accounting for over 82% of the national rise in violence.
In recent weeks, terrorist attacks have claimed the lives of several law enforcement personnel in Punjab’s Bhakkar district, Kohat, Wana, and Karak, highlighting the ongoing threat faced by security forces across the country.