Miranshah Assistant Commissioner Shah Wali and two cops were among four martyred after the official’s vehicle came under attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu on Tuesday.

Bannu Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sajjad Khan confirmed the number of casualties.

“The attack was sudden, and after opening fire on the vehicle, the assailants also set it on fire,” he said. The DIG said the area was cordoned off after the incident and a search was underway to locate the attackers.

“Security forces and police are conducting a joint operation. Security in the area has been put on high alert and investigations are being carried out from every angle,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bilal Saqib, the assistant commissioner’s secretary, told the media that the incident took place at around 10am. He said the assistant commissioner was on his way to appear before a court when he was “ambushed” near Mamash Khel’s Masoomabad.

Giving details about the deaths, he said that two constables and a civilian, who was working in the fields, were martyred, while two police officials were injured. He said that an investigation was underway into the incident.

Miranshah is the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan district and is adjacent to Bannu.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the lives lost in the incident. A statement shared by the PPP on X said he condemned the terrorist attack.

He further said that the elimination of terrorists operating with external support against the country was being carried out with national consensus.

He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured police personnel and directed the relevant agencies to ensure the immediate arrest of the attackers.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow on the terrorist attack in Bannu that martyred four people, including the assistant commissioner, according to a statement on X issued by the PM Office.

He prayed for the departed souls and extended prayers of patience for the bereaved.

“The government is committed to eliminating terrorism from the country.”

KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also condemned the attack and expressed sorrow at the lives lost in the incident. According to an official statement, he also sought a detailed report from the KP police chief.

“The sacrifices of the martyrs will not go in vain. The elements involved will be brought to justice,” he said. Afridi also directed to provide the injured with the best possible medical treatment.

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.

The development comes a day after two policemen embraced martyrdom and five others were injured in a suicide bombing and a gun attack in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.

In July, an assistant commissioner and a tehsildar were among five people martyred, while 17 others, including several police personnel, sustained injuries when a roadside bomb explosion struck an official vehicle in Bajaur’s Sadiqabad area.