BANNU: Miranshah Assistant Commissioner Shah Wali and three others were killed on Tuesday when their vehicle came under attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, officials said.
Deputy Inspector General Sajjad Khan confirmed the fatalities, adding that the attackers opened fire on the vehicle before setting it ablaze. “The attack was sudden. The area has been cordoned off, and a search is underway to locate the assailants,” the DIG said.
Security forces and police are conducting a joint operation, and security in the area has been heightened. Investigations are ongoing from all angles, he added.
Bilal Saqib, the assistant commissioner’s secretary, said the incident occurred around 10am near Mamash Khel’s Masoomabad as Shah Wali was en route to appear in court. Alongside the assistant commissioner, two constables and a civilian working in the fields were killed, while two police personnel were injured. Authorities have launched an inquiry into the attack.
Miranshah serves as the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan and is adjacent to Bannu.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the loss of life, condemning the terrorist attack and urging relevant agencies to apprehend those responsible. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended condolences and prayers for the bereaved, reiterating the government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also condemned the attack, calling for a detailed report from the provincial police chief. He assured that the sacrifices of the martyrs would not be forgotten and instructed that the injured receive the best possible medical care.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist incidents, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the end of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) ceasefire in 2022. Since then, the TTP has targeted security forces, police, and law enforcement personnel.
The Bannu attack comes a day after two policemen were killed and five others injured in separate incidents in Lakki Marwat and Bannu. In July, a roadside bomb in Bajaur’s Sadiqabad area killed an assistant commissioner and a tehsildar among five people, injuring 17 others, including police personnel.
