One cop was martyred while five others were injured on Monday in a suicide blast targeting a police mobile in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district.

Lakki Marwat District Police Officer’s spokesman Asif Hassan told Dawn that a Tajori police mobile was targeted in a suicide attack.

He identified the deceased as Head Constable Alauddin. He further said that the bomber’s accomplice had escaped, adding that a search operation was underway.

The injured were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Haq Nawaz, Constable Yar Muhammad, Elite Force Constable Kamal Ahmad, Elite Force Constable Naeemullah and Duty Foot Constable Nasrullah.

Later, a press release issued by Lakki Marwat police shared further details of the incident. It quoted District Police Officer (DPO) Nazir Khan as saying that police had received information about the movement of a “suspicious” motorcyclist by “credible sources”.

According to the DPO, the sources said the motorcyclist was travelling from Bittani subdivision toward the Bakhmal Ahmadzai area. The motorcyclists’ “potential target was a public gathering”, the DPO was further quoted as saying.

The press release said police of the relevant jurisdiction were then alerted about the development.

It added that Tajori police has set up checkpoints at Katta Khel, where they flagged down two suspicious motorcyclists. The motorcyclists, however, tried and were chased by police, the press release detailed.

“During the chase, one of the motorcyclists opened fire on police and upon retaliatory action, he blew himself up,” the press release said.

Later, it added, DPO Khan reached the site, and a search operation was under way there.

“The site has been cordoned off and investigators are collecting evidence.”

The press release said DPO Khan paid tribute to the martyred policeman. It quoted the official as saying: “Lakki Marwat police showed exemplary bravery by timely foiling an attack and saving the lives of dozens of innocent citizens.”

KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the incident, saying that the sacrifices of police personnel “will not go in vain”.

“The provincial government stands with the police,” Afridi said, adding that maintaining law and order was the government’s top priority.

“Such cowardly attacks cannot dampen our morale,” he said.

Separately, Kashif Nawaz, the spokesperson for the Bannu regional police officer, told Dawn that a police constable was martyred in firing by unidentified attackers at Sarangi Adda. Constable Muhammad Tariq was attacked while going to work from his house, the spokesperson said.

Pakistan has seen a rise in terrorist attacks in the recent past, particularly in KP and Balochistan, since the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in 2022. With the end of the ceasefire, the TTP had vowed to attack security forces, police, and personnel of law enforcement agencies.

Last week, three police personnel were martyred as law enforcers responded to a terrorist attack on a checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu.