Police constable martyred, another injured in Lakki Marwat attack

Constable Sajidullah succumbed to his injuries, while Constable Muhammad Waqas is wounded, in hospital for treatment

DERA ISMAIL KHAN:

A police officer was martyred and another injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them while they were on patrol in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat on Sunday, Lakki Marwat Superintendent of Police (SP) Investigation Salahuddin Kundi told The Express Tribune.

The officers were deployed with the City Rider Squad near the old police lines, within the jurisdiction of Lakki City police station, when the attack took place.

Salahuddin said, “Constable Sajidullah sustained serious injuries and later succumbed to them, while Constable Muhammad Waqas was wounded and shifted to hospital for treatment.”

Following the attack, police cordoned off the area and launched a search and combing operation to trace the attackers.

Lakki Marwat District Police Officer (DPO) Shehbaz Elahi visited the site of the attack and was briefed by SP Salahuddin in detail about the firing incident and the police action taken so far.

The DPO inspected the crime scene and directed the relevant officers to use all available resources to arrest those involved in the attack.

He ordered that evidence be collected and the investigation pursued using modern scientific and investigative techniques to bring the suspects to justice as soon as possible.

The DPO further said, “Attacks on police personnel would not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

He directed authorities to further strengthen security measures to ensure the protection of the public and police personnel.

Terrorism has significantly increased in Pakistan, particularly in K-P and Balochistan, in recent days. The rise in terrorist activity has led to growing concerns over the security situation in these regions. In response, security forces have been conducting intensive operations to counter the threat, targeting terrorist groups.

On August 2, at least six police personnel were among 17 people killed in a suicide attack outside Kabal police station in Swat, according to DPO Muhammad Omer.

On July 30, four police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, two assistant sub-inspectors and a constable, were killed when terrorists attacked the Khazeena Banda police checkpost in Hangu. Eight terrorists were also killed in the attack.

The same day, two police officers, including an assistant sub-inspector, were killed when terrorists ambushed a police van in Dera Ismail Khan’s Musa Zai area. The officers were escorting relatives of a seminary student who had been killed a day earlier when the vehicle came under fire.

The attacks came amid continued violence targeting police and other security personnel across the province.

UNSC confirms rise in TTP attacks from Afghanistan

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in a report released in February, also drew attention to a series of attacks by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) against Pakistani security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"On September 16, 2025, the BLA ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the corridor, killing 32 troops. While counter-terrorism operations by Pakistan restricted the BLA's operational space, it remained active".

The report added that some member states reported that the BLA collaborated with the TTP and ISIL-K through shared training camps and resources, coordinating attacks and meetings between commanders. Some member states assessed that there was neither an association nor growing ties between the BLA and Al Qaeda or ISIL.

Also read: Three more terrorists killed in ongoing Operation Shaban: security sources

It further highlighted that various groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and black-market trade.

"TTP used advanced assault rifles, night-vision devices, thermal-imaging devices, sniper systems and drone attack systems. Most of these were provided by the de facto authorities in conjunction with weapons permits and travel documents," it said.

In August 2025, the UN's 1988 Taliban sanctions committee monitoring team's annual report said outlawed terrorist groups - BLA, including its Majeed Brigade, and TTP had "close coordination".

The UNSC report said "some BLA attacks showed a high degree of complexity and brutality", citing the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025, which killed 31 people, including 21 hostages.