DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Three traffic policemen were martyred on Monday when unidentified men opened fire on their mobile van in the Wazirabad Bazaar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district, according to a senior police official.

“Three traffic policemen travelling in the mobile van were martyred on the spot in the attack,” District Police Officer (DPO) Abdul Samad Khan told Dawn, adding that the attackers fled the scene.

The DPO said the attackers had also taken away the traffic police vehicle after the incident. However, the vehicle was later recovered from the Garah Budha area, he added. He said two passers-by were also injured in the firing and were shifted to a hospital for treatment.

Assailants flee with police van, which was later recovered

“Police have sealed the roads and other possible routes, including pedestrian tracks, to prevent the attackers from escaping,” the DPO told Dawn. He said efforts were underway to trace and arrest those involved.

The martyred policemen were identified as Pir Khalid, Gul Amin and Saleemullah, according to state-run APP.

The attack triggered a security operation in the area, with police personnel deployed at various points and search efforts continuing. Further details about the identity of the attackers and the motive behind the attack were not immediately available.

‘Can’t weaken resolve’

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed deep sorrow over the attack and sought a report from the relevant senior authorities.

In a statement, the governor conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and colleagues of the martyred policemen.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2026