LAKKI MARWAT / NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Three policemen and a soldier were martyred and six wounded in Karak and North Waziristan over the past two days.
On Wednesday night, terrorists attacked a police post in Bahadarkhel area of Karak, a police official confirmed, adding that the assailants used light and heavy weapons during the attack.
He added that cops were deployed at the post located in the mountainous area on the Bannu-Hangu border. They “responded effectively and engaged the militants for two hours”.
According to the official, the assailants attacked from all sides, but their attempt to take over the post was thwarted.
He said reinforcements were dispatched to support the cops.
The official confirmed that three policemen lost their lives and identified as Constable Taimur Hayar and Driver Naqeeb from Karak and Constable Adnan from Mansehra.
Two of them belonged to the district police force and one from the Elite Force.
The injured were named as constables Saddam Asghar, Zainullah, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Saeed, Raja Junaid and Sana Mohammad. They were shifted to the DHQ Hospital Karak, from where three were referred to a hospital in Peshawar.
N. Waziristan operation
In North Waziristan, one security man was martyred and 12 terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dattakhel tehsil near the border with Afghanistan, the military’s media wing said.
A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations on Thursday said security forces conducted the operation on the reported presence of militants on the night between Wednesday and Thursday.
It read that the forces effectively engaged the terrorists and gunned down 12 of them. The martyred soldier was identified as Lance Naik Mohammad Ibrahim, 34, a resident of Hangu.
Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the terrorists’ possession, it said.
Funeral
The funeral of the cops was offered in Police Lines with full official honour.
IGP Zulfiqar Hameed, Kohat Commissioner Mohtasim Billah, locals and relatives of the martyred cops attended the funeral.
Later, IGP Hameed met the bereaved family and expressed heartfelt condolences to them.
He paid tribute to the martyred cops for their “supreme sacrifice” in the line of duty and said that their sacrifice would not go in vain.
While talking to reporters, IGP Hameed said the cops deployed at the Bahadarkhel police station fought bravely and foiled the terrorists’ attempt to breach the building.
“The cowardly terrorists wanted to lay siege to this check post, overpower it and take over our personnel. However, the terrorists were unsuccessful in their attempts and fled,” he said.
“KP police will uproot the menace of terrorism. The terrorists want to cause harm to the people, but the people and KP police are united,” the IGP added.
Later, IGP Hameed also visited the District Headquarters Hospital, Karak, and inquired after the injured police officials.
He also visited the attacked police post and directed the relevant officials to improve and strengthen the security of police installations.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and paid tribute to the police personnel martyred in the firing.
The minister also expressed his condolences to the families of the martyred personnel.
Umer Farooq in Peshawar also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025
