PESHAWAR: One hundred and twenty-five police personnel embraced martyrdom and 212 others sustained injuries in different militant attacks across the province during the first quarter of 2023. A total of 25 cases of militant attacks have been registered with the police during the three months, police data shows.

According to the data, 15 militant attacks were reported against police in January 2023, in which 116 personnel embraced martyrdom and 189 were injured.

Three militant attacks were reported in February 2023, in which two police personnel embraced martyrdom and five others were wounded.

Seven cases were registered by the police in March 2023, wherein seven policemen embraced martyrdom and 18 others were wounded.

Meanwhile, a senior police official told Dawn that following a surge in attacks on the police in January after the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off the ceasefire, the police were equipped with latest weaponry, leading to reduction in the number of attacks in February and March.

“There were fewer attacks reported in February and March,” the police official said, adding the force was carrying out intelligence-based operations and hunting down the militants.

Of the 125 personnel, who embraced martyrdom during last three months, 84 personnel, including officers, laid down their lives on January 30 alone when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque at Peshawar’s police headquarters.

On November 28, 2022, the banned TTP had called off the ceasefire agreed with the government in June 2022, and ordered its militants to stage attacks across the country.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2023