• Two cops martyred in suicide blast at Bhakkar checkpost
• Six, including DSP, slain in Kohat ambush; police vehicle torched
• Constable shot dead in Wana
• President, PM, KP governor condemn attacks, vow to eliminate terrorism

LAHORE / KOHAT: Nine police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were martyred in separate terrorist attacks in Punjab’s Bhakkar district and Khyber Pakhtu­nkhwa’s Kohat and Wana areas on Tuesday.

In Bhakkar, two policemen were martyred in a suicide blast at a checkpost on Tuesday evening, officials said.

District Police Officer (DPO) Shahzad Rafiq told Dawn that a suicide attack took place near the Dajil checkpost, located on the border of Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar.

He said the attacker approached the checkpost and blew himself up, taking the lives of two policemen and injuring another. Three passersby were also wounded in the blast.

The deceased were identified as Muhammad Faheem and Muhammad Shehbaz, while the injured policeman was named Arshad. The identities of the injured passersby were not immediately known.

The injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, while a search operation was launched in the area.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and expressed grief over the loss of lives, offering condolences to the bereaved families.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also denounced the incident, paid tribute to the martyred policemen and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured.

Kohat ambush

Earlier in the day, six law enforcement personnel, including DSP Asad Mehmood, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a police vehicle in Kohat district.

A police officer told Dawn that the DSP, an inspector and four constables were martyred when their vehicle was ambushed near Shakardara Road while transporting two individuals for a court appearance.

One of the two individuals being transported was also killed in the attack. The assailants later set the vehicle on fire.

Additional police contingents were dispatched to the area and a search operation was launched to apprehend the attackers. Authorities cordoned off the site and began investigations.

President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and paid tribute to DSP Mehmood and other personnel who embraced martyrdom. They expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

The president said the martyred officials had rendered great sacrifices for the country and reiterated that terrorism, perpetrated under foreign patronage, would be eliminated. The Prime Minister’s Office quoted the premier as saying that the menace of terrorism would be eradicated from the country.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the attack and paid tribute to the fallen DSP and police officials. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also condemned the attack and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives.

Constable martyred in Wana

In a separate incident, a constable was martyred after unidentified men opened fire in the Mughal Khel village of Wana tehsil, Lower South Waziristan, on Tuesday, officials said.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Mohammad Tahir, the attackers carried out a sudden assault, leaving Constable Attaullah critically wounded. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

The body of the fallen policeman was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana for legal formalities, the DPO confirmed.

Police officials said security in the area has been tightened following the incident, while an investigation has been launched to trace those involved.

DPO Mohammad Tahir Shah Wazir stated that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, adding that those responsible would be brought to justice.

The incident comes amid a deteriorating security situation across South Waziristan Lower, South Waziristan Upper and North Waziristan over the past year.

Residents say there has been a noticeable surge in incidents of bomb explosions, targeted killings, kidnappings for ransom, extortion and attacks on police and security forces’ checkposts in these tribal districts.

The worsening law and order situation has triggered concern among local communities, with many expressing fears over their safety and livelihoods.

Traders and business owners have also reported a negative impact on commercial activities, as uncertainty and insecurity continue to disrupt daily life.

Locals believe that without sustained peace and stability, normalcy cannot return to the region and have called for effective measures to restore law and order.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed a surge in terrorist violence over the past year. According to the Annual Security Report 2025 by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), fatalities in the province rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.

On Monday, three Federal Constabulary (FCN) men were martyred when terrorists attacked rescue teams in the Karak district, officials said. Last week, a terrorist attack involving an explosive-laden vehicle on a checkpost in Bajaur district martyred 11 security personnel.

Our correspondent in Dera Ismail Khan also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2026