Nine police personnel, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Diyar Khan, have been martyred late Wednesday when terrorists attacked the Khazina Banda checkpost in Hangu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Twenty-eight others sustained injuries in the assault.
Inspector General (IG) of KP Police, Zulfiqar Hameed, issued a statement naming Fitna al-Khawarij, the term used by the state for Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) linked terrorists, as responsible for the attack, which took place while police personnel were stationed at the post.
He noted that officers responded to the assault and reinforcements were sent to the site, but the terrorists ambushed the contingent, damaging an armoured personnel carrier in the process.
Despite the setback, the IG maintained that the personnel fought with bravery and professionalism.
“Fifteen kharji were killed while multiple others were injured due to the police’s response,” he said, adding that the exchange of fire stretched on for hours before nine cops lost their lives and 28 sustained injuries.
He stated that the morale of KP police remained strong and vowed that operations against terrorists across the province would continue.
A senior police official, speaking separately to a private media outlet, confirmed the casualty figures and said that firing broke out once terrorists targeted the checkpost.
A second checkpost, located in the Adezai area under the jurisdiction of Mattani police station in Peshawar, also came under fire from terrorists the same night. A senior police official said that cops posted there returned fire, forcing the attackers to flee and confirmed that no personnel were hurt in this instance.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the Hangu attack, extending condolences to the families of those martyred and praying for the recovery of the wounded.
Naqvi also met President Asif Ali Zardari, according to a handout from the President’s Secretariat, which stated that discussions covered the broader law and order situation, particularly in KP and Balochistan.
“The interior minister briefed the president on the current law and order situation in KP and Balochistan and the ongoing measures against terrorism,” the statement said.
President Zardari acknowledged the sacrifices made by the Pakistan Army, law enforcement agencies and police in countering terrorism, and said that the nation stood behind its security forces in the effort to establish lasting peace. The handout added that the meeting also touched on the current political landscape along with other matters of national significance.
