Three policemen killed, six injured in attack on check post in Pakistan
Three policemen killed, six injured in attack on check post in Pakistan
Peshawar, At least three policemen were killed and six others injured when heavily armed militants attacked a police check post in the restive northwest Pakistan on Thursday morning, police said.
The attackers launched a barrage of gunfire at the Bahadur Khel check post in the Karak district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan.
"Unknown terrorists opened fire from all sides at a check post in Karak's Bahadur Khel area, targeting police personnel using light and heavy weapons in an attempt to capture the check post," according to a statement from the KP Police Central Office.
The security personnel present at the checkpost fired back in an encounter which lasted two hours, following which the terrorists fled, the statement said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to District Police Officer Shehbaz Elahi, three injured policemen were shifted to the Karak District Headquarter Hospital, while three others were sent to Peshawar for treatment as their condition was critical.
District Police Officer said the assailants fled the scene after police retaliated.
A police contingent immediately arrived at the site and launched a search operation to apprehend the perpetrators.
Security measures have been heightened across the area following the incident.
The funeral prayers of the three policemen were offered at the Karak Police Lines. KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, Kohat Regional Police Officer Abbas Majeed, Kohat Commissioner Mautasim Billah, Karak Deputy Commissioner Shakeel Jan, and other civil officers attended the funeral.
"Our Jawans fought bravely and thwarted the enemy’s attack,” Hameed said while speaking to the media in Karak.
“The cowardly terrorists wanted to lay siege to this checkpost, 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,” IG Hameed said. “Nothing will prevent us from uprooting the menace of terrorism.”
While responding to a question, Hameed said KP police will “find terrorists wherever they are hiding and ensure that justice is served”, adding that all resources will be used to achieve this goal.
The IG visited the injured personnel at the Karak DHQ Hospital and directed the doctors present to provide the best treatment possible.
IG Hameed later visited the Bahadur Khel checkpost for a detailed inspection. He also issued instructions to senior police officials present on the spot.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack and directed the police to take necessary action to arrest those involved in the attack.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and paid tribute to the police personnel killed in the firing.
In response to escalating security threats, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month stressed the need to eliminate the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan , a militant group responsible for numerous attacks on security forces and civilians.
Terror attacks have increased in Pakistan, which regularly blames the Afghan government for its inaction to tackle the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan threat. Relations have deteriorated between Islamabad and Kabul over the issue of militancy by the TTP.
According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies think-tank, 2024 was the deadliest year for the civil and military security forces of Pakistan in a decade, with at least 685 members of security forces losing their lives amid a total of 444 terror attacks.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
