Two cops, six civilians injured in attacks on Peshawar police installations

Published March 1, 2026
A file photo of KP police. — AFP/File
A file photo of KP police. — AFP/File

PESHAWAR: Two police personnel and six civilians were injured in militant attacks on three police installations here early on Saturday.

A senior police official said that Mattani and Badhber police stations and the nearby Sra Khawra police checkpost came under attack but police retaliated the attacks.

He said the Mattani police station was attacked from two sides, one from the bypass on the Indus Highway and the other from a mud cliff near the main Mattani Bazaar.

“One cop sustained injuries when a hand grenade was hurled inside the Badhber police station, hurled from Mera Mashokhel Road,” the official said.

High alert declared in capital as officials fear surge in militant activities

He also informed that the third attack was carried out on Sra Khawra Police Checkpost where a cop and six civilians were injured.

Senior police officials informed that the militants not only used hand grenades but sophisticated weapons in attacks on the police installations.

According to Superintendent Saddar Division Arshad Khan, militants used modern gadgets included Infrared (IR) cameras, commonly known as night vision in the attacks, adding that after the attacks the militants escaped.

He, however, said that the department had conveyed threat alerts to all the police stations, adding that the threat was not over and it still existed.

“We carried out search operations but no one has been arrested. The search operations will continue,” he said.

Also, suspected militants were intercepted at Juma Khan Khwar near Regi Model Town late Friday night after police spotted in a dried stream and fired at them, police said, adding that the suspected militants fled.

“We had positioned an APC and spotted them through night vision goggles,” a police official said, adding that there was another attack at a security post in Shahkas but no damage was caused.

Police said that the series of attacks in Peshawar periphery appeared to have been triggered on a call from the head of outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Noor Wali Mahsud, calling upon fighters to attack inside Pakistan in defence of the Afghan Taliban. “We expect a surge and we are prepared for it. Plans have been set in motion to thwart their nefarious designs,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed Ahmed said that the KP police always remained a front-line force and ensured maintaining law and order by bravely confronting the enemy despite adverse conditions.

“There will be no compromise on maintaining of law and order and security in the provincial capital,” read an official statement issued from his office.

Mr Ahmad made it clear that in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, police would continue to thwart militants’ nefarious designs and would ensure protection of citizens’ lives and property.

He said this during his visit to Mattani Police Station, Saray Khawara Checkpost, Badhber Police Station and Masho Gagar Checkpost, while at the same time carried out a detailed review of the security arrangements.

The CCPO was accompanied by Mr Khan, DSP Badhber, Wajid Shah Khan, DSP Rahman Baba Circle, Muhammad Ali Khan who gave CCPO a detailed briefing regarding the overall security situation and the measures taken to effectively deal with potential terrorist threats.

The CCPO Peshawar also reviewed the condition of police station and checkpost buildings, thermal cameras, government-issued weapons, night vision equipment and residential facilities for police personnel.

Mr Ahmad lauded the police personnel who courageously and with professional expertise thwarted the attacks.

He directed police officers to ensure timely and full utilisation of all available resources to effectively deal with any untoward incident in view of the current security situation.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2026

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