At least three people, including two policemen, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion near a police vehicle in Dera Ismail Khan's Parowa tehsil on Monday.

The police van was on a routine patrol in Parowa area, which borders Dera Ghazi Khan, when the bomb planted on a bicycle went off, DI Khan District Police Office Saleem Riaz said.

As a result of the blast, two police officials including a sub-inspector and a passer-by sustained injuries. They were shifted to the district headquarters hospital for emergency treatment.

DPO Riaz said eight kilogrammes of explosives had been used in the IED that targeted the police vehicle.

Search operations are underway in the area to apprehend the suspects involved, he told DawnNewsTV.

A recent study shows that the year 2018 saw a remarkable reduction of 45 per cent in militant attacks in the country. The study conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies showed the ratio of security forces’ casualties per attack significantly increased in 2018 compared to 2017.

Overall, the security situation significantly improved in the year as the number of attacks, resultant deaths as well as injuries declined by 45pc, 37pc and 49pc, respectively, compared to 2017. The number of suicide attacks also declined.