LOWER DIR: The police and Dir Levies personnel, backed by security forces, on Friday night foiled an attack by militants on the residence of the deputy commissioner of Upper Dir and a nearby Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation facility in Panakot, sources said.

According to Dir police, militants launched the attack at around 11pm on the night between Friday and Saturday.

Police, Levies personnel and security forces put up stiff resistance and mounted a strong counterattack, forcing the attackers to retreat and foiling their attempt to advance towards the deputy commissioner’s residence.

An exchange of fire continued until Fajr prayers, according to police and residents. No casualties were reported among the law-enforcement or security forces.

Residents said the firing continued intermittently from around 11pm until dawn, with the militants eventually fleeing in the face of the retaliatory action.

The attack came a day after members of a local lashkar, who had gathered in Dir Khas from different areas to demonstrate their presence against militants, returned to their homes on Friday.

The sources said the timing of the attack appeared to be aimed at demonstrating the presence of militants in the area after the members of the lashkar dispersed and returned to their homes.

Meanwhile, a teenage girl was killed and seven other people were injured in a traffic accident involving three vehicles at Rani area of Lower Dir on Saturday, Rescue 1122 officials said.

According to Rescue 1122, emergency teams rushed to the scene immediately after receiving information about the accident.

Rescue personnel provided first aid to the injured and shifted a number of victims to a nearby hospital, while locals also assisted in transporting the wounded.

A 15-year-old girl, daughter of Abdul Rahman, succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

The injured were identified as Amjad, 7, a resident of Rabat, Sudais, 13, of Nihag Dara, Amanullah, 27, of Mishwani in Upper Dir; Ihsan, 12, of Hajiabad; Zarnosh 55, of Swabi, Hazrat Ali 18 and Abdul Rahman 37, of Khall.

Rescue officials said their recovery team removed the damaged vehicles from the site and cleared the road for traffic.

The cause of the accident, according to locals, was over-speeding.

In another incident, a nine-year-old girl identified as daughter of Fazal Wahid, was killed in a roof collapse incident following heavy rains in the Barkhani area of Maidan in Lower Dir the other day.

Other members of the household were away when the roof of the house collapsed.

A Rescue 1122 team carried out relief operations and recovered the body from the debris, locals said.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2026