DERA ISMAIL KHAN: An assistant sub-inspector and two police constables were martyred, while another was injured on Wednesday when an improvised explosive device exploded near a police patrol van, followed by gunfire, in Paniala town of D.I. Khan district.

The patrol mobile was conducting a routine round near Boys Degree College, Paniala, when unidentified militants opened fire and detonated an IED targeting the vehicle, according to police spokesperson Syed Yaqoob Zulqarnain.

The attack resulted in the martyrdom of ASI Gul Alam, constable Rafiq, and driver Sakhi Jan. Constable Azad Shah sustained serious injuries and was shifted to hospital. The police vehicle also suffered heavy damage.

The explosion and gunfire were heard across the surrounding areas, creating panic among residents.

Senior civil, police, and military officials later attended the funeral of the martyred personnel at the Ijaz Shaheed Police Lines. The bodies were then sent to their respective native towns for burial.

Soon after the incident, RPO Syed Ashfaq Anwar and DPO Sahibzada Sajjad Ahmed reached the site along with a large contingent of police and security personnel. The area was cordoned off, and a search operation was launched.

Two terrorists killed

During the search operation, according to a police official, police and militants exchanged fire that continued for a considerable time. The police spokesperson confirmed that two terrorists belonging to an out­­lawed network were killed, while two others were injured.

The official said senior officers later reviewed the crime scene, where they were briefed by SP Saddar Muhammad Nawab Khan, SP Paharpur Syed Asad Ali Shah, and Inayatullah of the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) regarding the initial findings and nature of the attack.

DPO Sajjad said that such cowardly acts would not weaken the resolve of the police force. He said the morale of the security personnel remained high and assured that terrorists would be confronted with full force.

On the directives of RPO Ashfaq Anwar and DPO Sajjad Ahmed, an extensive search operation was also launched across Paniala. Officers and personnel from SPs, SDPOs, Al-Buraq, the Elite Force, and district police participated in block-wise checking,

profiling of suspicious individuals, and raids on suspected militant hideouts. The RPO was later given a detailed briefing on the evidence collected from the scene.

PM condemns attack

While condemning the terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan, Prime Min­ister Shehbaz Sharif said that the war against terrorism would continue till its complete elimination.

The prime minister, in a statement, expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of three police personnel. He also instructed the relevant authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the official injured in the attack.

“The entire nation, including myself, pays tribute to the great sacrifices rendered by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police in the war against terrorism,” PM Shehbaz said and directed that those responsible for the incident be identified and brought to justice with exemplary punishment.

With additional input from APP

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2025