PESHAWAR: A fourth terror attack in the last 48 hours rocked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as authorities foiled another militant attack on a check post in the provincial capital Peshawar on Thursday.
Since the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) ended its ceasefire with Islamabad late last year, the province has seen an increase in terrorist attacks – from improvised explosive devices to suicide bombings.
In the latest attack, which took place late at night, when militants tried to attack Riaz Shaheed police post in Sarband area of Peshawar, the policemen retaliated and killed eight terrorists trying to flee for their lives.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Kent Waqas Rafique said the attack could have been thwarted as a result of the police being on “high alert” as the terrorists tried to target the check post during the night.
This was not the only attempt made by the militants. This check post was attacked on June 7. Thursday’s attack on the police post was the 665th terror attack this year.
The latest attack came hours after suicide bombers targeted a compound in Khyber district’s Bara Bazaar, killing four policemen and 10 others, including police officers and civilians.
Police intercepted the two suicide bombers from the entrance of the police station and tehsil headquarters complex adjacent to Bara Bazar — which houses the Bara police station, government offices, and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) cell, police officials said.
The KP police faced another attack before the ambush, when two policemen were martyred and two injured in a firing in Regi area of Peshawar.
Police say that unknown armed men opened fire on the policemen at the entry post near Regi Model Town police station and fled. The martyrs have been identified as head constable Wajid and driver Farman.
Earlier on July 18, there was a suicide blast near a security forces vehicle in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area. At least 10 people, including seven law enforcement officials, were injured in the blast.
In light of rising militancy, Pakistan’s government has warned Afghanistan against providing safe havens to the outlawed TTP – a terrorist organization that targets security forces.
Pakistan’s top military officials have recently said that safe havens and freedom of action for terrorists belonging to the outlawed TTP and its affiliates in Afghanistan is a major factor affecting Pakistan’s security.
Pakistan has seen an increase in terrorist attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and has called on the interim rulers to take decisive action against terrorists, including the TTP, responsible for cross-border attacks.
According to a statistical report released by the independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), terrorist activities in the country have increased by 79% during the first half of 2023.
KP Interim Information Minister Feroze Jamal said that the police is equipped to deal with the growing terrorist activities, but also said that the Afghan government’s actions could help curb militancy.
“If there is peace in Afghanistan, there will be peace in Pakistan. Anyone involved in cross-border terrorism [in Afghanistan] should be dealt with,” the information minister said.
